Class 

Book. .KA 

Copyright N°_ 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSITS 



Exposition 



of the 



Book of Revelation 



by 



A^NAPPLNBLRGLR, A. M., B. D. 



4i 4» «i» 



PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 
SYRACUSE, N. Y. 
1908. 



; = %yc Copies ^. 

i MAY 2 1^0 



Cop3^righted by 
James B. Knappenberger. 
1908. 



4 



AaBdriatfon 
printing 



DEDICATION. 



To the divine cause of our Redeemer this book is 
humbly dedicated and all that may be made from the sale 
of the same is sacredly consecrated to the direct extension 
of His kingdom. 



PREFACE. 

The Book of Revelation is the prophetic book of the 
New Testament. It is the crown and completion of the 
Holy Scripture, giving special light on the prophecies, the 
atonement, the consummation of evil, the reward of right- 
eousness, the redeemed humanity and the restoration of the 
earth to its original paradisiacal state; showing that the 
triumphs of redemption shall equal and surpass the blight 
and curse of sin. Like all prophecy it introduces us to the 
events of the future, and is the book of the great harvest- 
time. Other portions of the Holy Scriptures are largely 
an account of the preparation of the soil, sowing the seed 
and the cultivation of the spiritual field. 

The statements of this book are to be taken literally 
except where its allegorical nature is directly stated. The 
language of numbers holds a large place in this book which 
is divided into seven parts and each part into sub-sections 
of sevens, more or less clearly defined. 

The reasons for collecting these scattered fragments 
and giving them to the public, is the conviction wrought 
by more than thirty years in the pastorate, that the Book 
of Revelation is an essential but very much neglected por- 
tion of the Holy Scriptures; also that much of an unsound 
nature has been written on this portion of the Holy 
Word, calling the more for a presentation of its blessed 
truths from a strictly orthodox standpoint. 

A large part of the works written on this book belong 
to the order of the cyclopaedia, and are adapted for schol- 
ars and theologians. This work is designed for those 
who have not the time to peruse the more elaborate works. 

This is not a controversial work, neither is it proposed 
to give the steps leading to the positions taken, but is 
rather a summary of conclusions. 

These humble pages are sent forth to the world with 
the sincere desire and prayer that they may do good. 
Syracuse, N. Y., Jan. i, 1908. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Perhaps the general neglect of the study of this book of 
the Holy Scriptures may call for the briefest possible out- 
line of its chief features, as presented in this exposition. 

First: It is pre-eminently a revelation of Jesus Christ 
in His great work of redemption. 

Second: The seven churches of Asia were literal 
churches, but are in their order a complete history of the 
cause of Christ from Pentecost to His coming at the con- 
clusion of this present church age or dispensation. 

Third: That at His coming the righteous dead, and liv- 
ing saints, the first by bodily resurrection, and the latter 
by translation, will be caught up to meet the Lord, and 
are the Bride; the Lamb's wife. 

Fourth: At this time Christ takes the book of redemp- 
tion, breaking its seals, and by the successive steps as 
outlined under seals, trumpets and vials, etc., takes posses- 
sion of the lost inheritance, evicting Satan and his cause. 

Fifth: The thousand years of millennium, during which 
time Satan is bound, and Christ and the Bride are the 
rulers of the earth. 

Sixth: At the conclusion of the millennium there is an 
apostasy led by Gog and Magog, in which they gather all 
the hosts of rebellion about the holy city of Jerusalem 
where Christ in person reigns on the throne of David. 

Seventh: God by direct power destroys the great army 
of apostasy, leaving in the world the righteous who have 
been governed by Christ and the saints during the millen- 
nium. 

Eighth: A mighty regeneration of all the realms of 
nature, in which the material creation shall be restored 
to its paradisiacal state, and the then living righteous be 
transformed into the Adamic perfection possessed before 
the fall, to go forward to fulfill the original design of the 



Almighty in creation — which design has been delayed by 
the world wide tragedy of sin — but shall not be perma- 
nently defeated by evil. 

Ninth: The resurrection of all the wicked — the general 
judgment in which shall be meted out the rewards of the 
righteous, and penalties of the lost; marking the conclusion 
of redemption and the end of all probation. 



THL BOOK OF REVELATION. 



SECTION 1. ! 

CHRIST REVEALED IN HUMILIATION AND 
GLORY. 

Chapter 1: 1-4. 

THE SEVEN DIVISIONS OF THE SUPERSCRIPTION. 

I. The Key to the Book of Revelation. 

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto 
him to show unto his servants." — 1:1. 

The first statement of the first verse "The Revelation of 
Jesus Christ" is the key to the entire book. That is, the 
revealment of Christ. If this is kept in mind the difficulty- 
disappears. Its marvelous and startling scenes are but the 
setting of the gem, the background of the picture, Christ 
is the sum and substance; everything else is incidental, 
and becomes important only because of its relation to 
Him. The earnest inquirer coming as certain Greeks in 
the days of Christ's humiliation, saying, "Sir, we would see 
Jesus," will bear the testimony of the Queen of Sheba when 
she beheld the splendors of Solomon, "The one-half of 
the greatness of thy wisdom w^as not told me; for thou 
exceedest the fame that I had heard." We need a reveal- 
ment of Christ other than that found in the Holy Scrip- 
tures outside of the Book of Revelation. The general 
trend of the Scriptures dwell on the humiliation and incar- 
nation of Christ. The prophets and apostles occasionally 
caught foregleams of His final glory; but the prevailing 
tone is heavily draped and sombre, the cross stands in the 
foreground like the Altar before the Tabernacle. 

7 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



Ancient Israel overlooked the Valley of His Humilia- 
tion and Suffering, and dwelt only on the prophetic visions 
of His final glory, and as a consequence rejected Him and 
cruelly robbed themselves. We face a like danger in 
looking only into the dark valley of His Incarnation, 
Humiliation and Suffering. Not seeing His matchless 
splendor and final victory as presented in this book of 
Divine triumph. 

There are seven primary revealments of Christ marking 
the great epochs of time. First, in creation, "All things 
were made by Him and for Him." Second, in the prom- 
ises and covenants of the patriarchal age, "Now to Abraham 
and his seed were the promises made. He saith not to 
seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed which 
is Christ." Third, in Tabernacle service, sacrifice and 
priesthood, "which are a shadow of things to come; but 
the body is of Christ." Fourth, in prophecy, "and begin- 
ning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto 
them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." 
Fifth, in the Incarnation, "God was manifest in the flesh." 
Sixth, in the church as instituted on the day of Pentecost 
and shown in the Epistles, "Now ye are the body of 
Christ." Seventh, in the Book of Revelation, "the revela- 
tion of Jesus Christ." The Book of Revelation has in it- 
self seven revealments of Christ. 

What understanding can we have of Creation, Patriarch- 
ial Covenants, Tabernacle Symbolism, Prophetic Visions, 
Gospel History, Pentecostal Church, Revelation's startling 
scenes, if we cannot see in each "The King; eternal, im- 
mortal, invisible," "The only wise God our Savior." 

2. This Divinely Given Message is Prophetic. 

"Things which must shortly come to pass." — i:i. 
The character of this book is prophetic. The great fu- 

8 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



ture is spread before us like a magnificent landscape, from 
seed time to harvest. 

3. An Angel Messenger is Sent. 

''And he sent and signified it by his angel." — 1:1. 

This angel gives an account of himself. "I am thy 
fellow servant and of thy brethren the prophets, and of 
them which keep the sayings of this book." The Scriptures 
abound with angelic message bearers. Stephen states that 
the law was given "by the disposition of angels." The 
angelic world is one of great diversity in position and 
power. 

4. John is the Direct Receiver of this Heavenly Com- 
munication. 

**Unto his servant John, who bare record of the word of 
God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things 
that he saw." — 1:1-2. 

The prophet is carefully identified. His name was 
John, it was that John who had formerly written, ''Bare 
record." The subject of that former record was "The 
Word of God." This was his Gospel and Epistles. He 
tells us that it was for "the testimony of Jesus Christ" 
that he was banished to this isle of Patmos. John had 
been a faithful apostle, now God gives him the added 
office of prophet and he becomes the pre-eminent prophet 
of the Holy Scriptures. For the Book of Revelation is 
the greatest prophecy of the Sacred Volume. He adopts 
the very language of the ancient prophets, "the seer," when 
he says, "All things that he saw." 

5. Special Blessing Promised to Those who Receive 
this Prophecy. 

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the 
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are 
written therein." — 1:3. 

9 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



How strange that this book, the last words of Jesus, 
with a special blessing pronounced upon reader, hearer and 
keeper of the things of ''this prophecy," should be the most 
neglected portions of the Holy Scriptures. What fatal de- 
lusion blinds the eyes of the children of God when before 
their vision is spread as clear as day the completion of the 
works of Divine grace and Infinite justice? 

So essential are the things of this prophecy that this 
special blessing is repeated at the close of the book, 
*'Blessed is he that keepeth the prophecies of this book." 

6. The Time Element of This Prophecy. 

"For the time is at hand." — 1:3. 

This is an important statement, as it shows the time 
covered by this prophecy. Its fulfilment was from the day 
it was given to John on Patmos until the final consum- 
mation of all things. 

7. To Whom the Prophecy is Given. 

"John, to the seven churches which are in Asia." — i :4.. 

Seven is the number of completion, these seven churches 
of Asia stand for all churches in all time from Pentecost 
to the time when the church dispensation shall close. God 
gave it to the angel, the angel gave it to John, John gave 
it to the seven churches and they gave it to the world. 
This completes the golden chain of this prophecy from. 
God to us. Like great and important documents of earth, 
each stage of its transmission is carefully recorded. Inci- 
dentally, many things are presented of the most startling 
nature, but the one essential fact is, that this is "The reve- 
lation of Jesus Christ" in His exaltation, and glory. It 
has been difficult to behold Christ in His humiliation and 
exaltation, this was met by the ancient Israelites and re- 
sulted in the tradition of two Messiahs. One "bane Eph- 

10 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



raim," the son of Ephraim, a Messiah of suffering and 
humility. The other **bane David" the son of David, the 
Messiah of triumph and glory; they could not conceive of 
the same person meeting such opposite conditions. 

SEVEN DIVISIONS OF THE INVOCATION. 

Chapter 1:4-6. 

1. The Salutation. 

"Grace be unto you, and peace." — 1:4. 

These words are of frequent occurrence in the Scrip- 
tures in varied forms, and are expressive of the desire to 
convey to another the assurance of divine favor and love. 
It was especially appropriate at this time, for the humble 
disciple of Jesus was about to be ushered into the most 
startling scenes of the material and spiritual world. 

2. The Father. 

"From him which is and which was and which is to 
come." — I '.4. 

The source of this divine favor and peace is found in 
the blessed Trinity. This statement shows the Father, the 
infinite God and in a special manner emphasizes His etern- 
ity and self-existence. 

3. The Holy Ghost. 

"And from the seven spirits which are before his 
throne." — 1:4. 

Seven being the number of completion, the Holy Spirit 
is presented in the perfections of His personality and 
Work. How vast and varied are His multiplied operations 
in conviction, regeneration, illumination and sanctification. 
Before the "throne" suggests His ministrations as the chief 
and only executive in the church of God. The one living 
and infallible Leader of the people; first, by the Holy 

II 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



Scriptures, His Word. Second, in His office as the 
Comforter, taking the place of the bodily presence of our 
loving and divine Lord. tell you the truth, it is ex- 
pedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away the 
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will 
send him unto you." "He shall glorify me: for he shall re- 
ceive of mine and shall shew it unto you." 

4. The Christ. 

"And from Jesus who is the faithful witness. And the 
first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of 
the earth." — 1:5. 

The Son is the true witness or revealer of the living 
God. "No man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, 
and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the 
Son will reveal him." The world can never know the 
Infinite and Eternal Deity in His immeasurable attributes, 
only as He has expressed Himself in the loving Christ our 
Savior. Nature is cursed and man is fallen because of sin, 
and the divine image of God that should have been seen 
in creation is marred beyond recognition, hence in the 
perfect Christ alone may be seen the likeness to the eternal 
Father. The resurrection of Christ is fundamental to the 
entire plan of redemption. His resurrection is here spoken 
of as "the first begotten of the dead." This indicates 
a new bodily life, not possessed by the body before, that 
is bodily immortality. The body of Jesus was the first to 
enter into this estate. All who were raised from the dead 
before were recalled to the present condition of life to die 
as those about them. Christ was in the grave three days 
and three nights as He said Himself. Not fractional days 
and nights, for He fulfils and fills full the law and the proph- 
ets and His own words. He was evidently crucified the 
14th of Nisan, being the day for the slaying of the Paschal 

12 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

Lamb. Their day began and ended at sunset. Jesus the 
true Paschal Lamb died upon the Cross of Calvary about 
three o'clock in the afternoon. 

He was placed in the tomb about sunset the 15th of 
Nisan. Mark 15:42. This day was always a high day, a 
Sabbath rest, a holy convocation. Lev. 23:6-7. John 19:31. 
The i6th of Nisan was the day the women bought and pre- 
pared the sweet spices for the additional embalming of Je- 
sus. Mark 16:1. The 17th of Nisan was the weekly Sab- 
bath of the Jews, upon which the women rested according 
to the commandment. Luke 23:56. The i8th day of Ni- 
san was the day the women came early to the sepulchre 
to embalm Jesus, but found the Lord risen from the dead. 
Matt. 28:1-2. The time of resurrection would doubtless be 
three full days and nights from the time of burial, accord- 
ing to His own word. Matt. 12:40. 

The third remarkable thing in this statement concerning 
Christ, is that He is *Trince of the kings of the earth." 
This shows Him to be the only true source of Power and 
Authority. He said of Himself, "All power is given unto 
me in heaven and in earth." All other powers except as they 
perform His will and acknowledge His Sovereignty are 
rebels against the only and divinely constituted Authority 
in the universe. There is something of a recognition of 
this divine Sovereignty in the oath of office as administered 
in Christianized nations. 

5. The Fruit o£ Love. 

"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins 
in his own blood." — 1:5. 

The atonement is the central doctrine of the Holy 
Scriptures, this is one of the most comprehensive state 
ments of this precious doctrine. Upon it is founded all 
our hopes of present and future happiness. The divine 

13 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



motive back of the atonement is the love of God. "Unto 
him that loved us." The Scriptures abound in the teach- 
ings of love as the vital root which bore the blood atone- 
ment; the sacrifice of Christ. "For God so loved the world 
that he gave his only begotten Son." The pre-eminence of 
the divine sacrifice is set before us by the apostle, saying, 
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through 
the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, 
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living 
God?" 

6. The Royal and Priestly Offices to be Conferred upon 
the Saved. 

"And hath made us kings and priests unto God and 
his Father." — 1:6. 

The humblest saint shall possess a throne in comparison 
with which Solomon's was but a trifling toy, and a priest- 
hood of such glory that Aaron's was a passing shadow. 
It is written of Moses that he had respect to the "recom- 
pense of the reward." May we follow his noble example 
for "it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but when he 
shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as 
he is." 

7. The Doxology. 

"To him be glory and dominion forever and ever, 
Amen." — i :6. 

Could anything be more appropriate after contemplat- 
ing the persons of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy 
Ghost, recounting the provisions for saving the lost and 
their induction into the kingly and priestly office than this 
Doxology of heartfelt praise? In this is voiced the senti- 
ment of all the redeemed as before them shall open the 
vision of their immortal inheritance and boundless glory. 

14 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



SEVEN DIVISIONS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF 
THE PROPHECY. 

Chapter 1:7-11. 

I. The Coming of Christ. 

''Behold he cometh with clouds: and every eye shall see 
him, and they also which pierced him, and all kindreds of 
the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen.'' — 
1:7. 

The bodily personal return of Christ is one of the most 
precious and soul inspiring doctrines of the Holy Scrip- 
tures. It has cheered and blessed the saints in all the 
Christian ages and under all possible conditions. Its neg- 
lect is due to three reasons. First: The abuses that have 
gathered about it at various times. Second: A distaste on 
the part of some because they are not prepared by grace 
to welcome the returning Lord. Third: A failure to appre- 
ciate the magnitude and consequences of His coming and 
its relation to the primary facts in the redemptive plan. 

The hour had come for the departure of the loving Sa- 
vior from His disciples, as they stood on Mount Olivet, 
"He lifted up his hands and blessed them." "And it came 
to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, 
and carried up into heaven and they worshiped him, and 
returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and were continually 
in the temple, praising and blessing God, Amen." "And 
while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went 
up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; which 
also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into 
heaven? This same Jesus which is taken from you into 
heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen 
him go into heaven." Not a sorrow, not a tear at the 
parting from the gracious Master, but abundant comfort 
and overflowing joy. The coming again of Jesus their 
Lord and Master, was not to them an idle dream but a glo- 

15 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



rious, conscious, vitalizing doctrine; the completion of 
His work, and the fulfilment of their hopes. His com- 
ing shall be a coming to all, not that all shall see Him at 
the same moment or regard Him in the same frame of 
mind, "Every eye shall see him, and they also who pierced 
him." It shall be to the wicked a time of sorrow for "all 
kindred of the earth shall wail because of him." The long 
delayed sentence against evil will be executed, justice and 
judgment shall have their place upon the throne as well 
as mercy and redeeming love. 

2. The Divinity of Christ Most Emphatically Declared. 

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, 
saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to 
come, the Almighty." — 1:8. 

In this statement Christ declares the doctrine of His 
own Divinity, "I am Alpha and Omega." A and O being 
the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the language 
in which the New Testament was written, meaning the all- 
inclusive, possessing all the attributes of God in His 
Eternity, Perfection and Character. His coming, presented 
in this prophetic book, was to be a coming not veiled as 
in His Incarnation, but in power. 

If there should still remain a doubt as to His Divinity 
He dispels it by declaring Himself "the Almighty." 

3. The Isle of Patmos the Place Where the Apostle 
Receives this Revealment of Christ. 

"I John, who also am your brother, and companion in 
tribulations, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus 
Christ, was in the isle that was called Patmos, for the 
word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." — 1:9. 

John, the aged and venerable apostle was the receiver 
of this glorious and prophetic vision. He assumes no title 
or official designation, but subscribes himself "your brother 

16 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

and companion in tribulation." In this is shown the unity 
and equality of all the disciples of Jesus. They share alike 
in the blessings and trials of one common cause. The 
crime for which the Apostle was banished was "for the 
word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ." Patmos 
is a poor, rocky, uninviting island about thirty miles in 
circumference, in the Aegean Sea, some distance from the 
shore of Asia Minor. Men and circumstances may confine 
and limit the body, but the soul in communion with God 
may range the immeasurable ages amidst scenes and asso- 
ciations too rich and intense for human utterance. 

4. John was in a Spiritual Frame of Mind as a Neces- 
sary Condition to Receive the Divine Message. 

*I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day." — 1:10. 

The "day" as spoken of here doubtless means a particular 
day, known as the "Lord's day," the day of Christ's resur- 
rection. He first appeared to His disciples on Sunday, the 
Christian Sabbath. 

The inspired penmen, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and 
Paul in every place in the Greek New Testament, the lan- 
guage in which the New Testament was written, invariably 
call the first day of the week, that is Sunday, "Sabbaton'* 
meaning Sabbath. Our translators have in the authorized 
version correctly given us the time "first day of the week," 
but have failed to give us its religious character "the Sab- 
bath." 

The seven days of the first chapter of Genesis closing 
with the establishment of the Sabbatical institution were 
doubtless ordinary days. The first verse gives us the or- 
iginal creation of matter. "In the beginning God created 
the heavens and the earth." The chaotic state of the earth 
is given in the second verse just preceding the six days, 
"And the earth was without form and void; and darkness 

17 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



was upon the face of the deep." The time and conditions 
comprehended in these two statemnts give all necessary- 
duration, and all possible changes, which are or may be 
claimed or imagined by science. The Hebrew word "bara" 
meaning to create, is used three times in this chapter: 
First, in the first verse, the original creation of matter; 
second, in the twenty-first verse, the original creation of 
animal life; third, in the twenty-seventh verse, the original 
creation of man. The second Hebrew word used to de- 
scribe the divine operations is "asah" meaning to do or 
make, and means to form out of what was already cre- 
ated. A tree may be growing a thousand years, a me- 
chanic may cut it down, and make a piece of furniture in 
six days; this may illustrate the difference between the 
creative and formative acts of God, as to the time element 
in the preparation of this world for the habitation of man. 

These six days are measured by meridian time — from 
mid-day to mid-day, "the evening and the morning were 
the first day," etc. The fiat of Jehovah as given on each 
day was, "And God said let there be." The inspired com- 
ment on these words as given by the Psalmist is "He 
spake, and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast." 

5. The Apostle Heard a Great Voice. 

"And heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet." 
— 1:10. 

When the law was given on Sinai, it was preceded by 
the voice of the trumpet, there were thunders and light- 
nings and a thick cloud upon the Mount, "And the voice 
of the trumpet exceeding loud." The trumpet occu- 
pied a very prominent place among God's chosen people, 
calling assemblies, calling to war and peace, used at the 
time of offering sacrifice, and announcing the inauguration 
of a new king. 

18 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



6. The Apostle is Commanded to Write the Things 
Which he is About to See in a Book. 

"Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: 
and what thou seest, write in a book." — i:ii. 

Christ again declares His divinity. Gives directions as 
to how the things to be revealed shall be preserved. This 
book is not only divinely given as to its contents, but also 
a divine command is given that it shall be written. This 
shows its great importance, being the only book of the 
New Testament having this distinguishing mark, and yet 
the most generally neglected. 

7. The Book is Specially Sent to all Christendom. 

*'And send it unto the seven churches which are in 
Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, 
and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, 
and unto Laodicea." — i:ii. 

The seven churches represent all churches, for the num- 
ber seven means completion. They were literal churches 
comprehending in themselves all possible conditions of 
Christian life, and the seven or complete phases of Christ's 
cause from Pentecost to His personal bodily return. 

SECTION 11. 

CHRIST REVEALED IN THE CHARACTER AND 
HISTORY OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES 
IN ASIA. 

Chapters I:i2-III:22. 

This book is a prophecy, the prophets frequently took 
some material object to represent their divine message, to 
vivify it, and give it a material incarnation. These seven 
literal churches were chosen for a prophetic purpose. They 
give us a divinely inspired history of the Christian church 
from its beginning to its close. 

19 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



THE SEVEN THINGS OF CHRIST'S PERSONALITY. 

Chapter 1:12-16. 

1. The Significant Location of Christ. 

"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. 
And being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks; 

"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like 
unto the Son of Man."— i : 12-13. 

The seven branched candlestick of the Tabernacle was 
made of one talent of beaten gold. It was the light bearer 
of the Holy place. There was no other light, neither nat- 
ural or artificial in the Holy place. In the midst of this 
precious, beautiful and perfect light giver stands our most 
glorious Savior, but still our own. "The Son of Man" He 
was crucified as a malefactor, and carried to the tomb, but 
now He walks in the golden light of the presence of God 
beyond the altar of sacrifice. The seven pieces of furniture 
combined show the one perfect Christ in His work of re- 
demption, the altar His sacrifice, the table of shew bread, 
the true bread which came down from heaven, the laver, 
that His blood cleanseth from all sin, the seven branched 
candlestick, His perfect light, the altar of incense, the true 
intercessor, the ark of the covenant in which were the 
tables of the law, the ten commandments, the law giver, 
the mercy seat, upon which the visible presence of Je- 
hovah was seen, his divinity, "God manifest in the flesh." 
In this most wonderful vision of the glorified Christ only 
one piece of the Tabernacle's furniture is spoken of, for 
the Book of Revelation has for its pre-eminent object the 
revealing of Christ in His glory and the illumination of 
the church with His own light. 

2. His Clothing. 

"Clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt 
about the paps with a golden girdle." 

The long robe indicates His priesthood, and the golden 

20 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



girdle His sovereignty. The kingly and priestly offices are 
combined in Him. He is both Redeemer and King in the 
church in the midst of which He walks, abundantly able 
to redeem and execute. Garments are expressive of posi- 
tion and character. Moses was commanded to "make holy 
garments for Aaron," for glory and beauty. Moral char- 
acter is figuratively represented by raiment. ''Take away 
the filthy garments from him, and unto him he said, be- 
hold, I have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee, and 1 
will clothe thee with new raiment." 

3. The Glorified Body of Christ. 

"His head and hairs were white like wool, as white 
as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 

"And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in 
a furnace." — 1:14, 15. 

The Infinite is described by Daniel as "the ancient of 
days did sit whose garment was white as snow and the 
hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was like the 
fiery flame." This effulgence and glory of Christ is seen 
in the burning bush, the lightnings of Sinai, the pillar of 
fire, the glory filled temple, the Mount of Transfiguration, 
the persecuting Saul on the way to Damascus, in the 
splendor of His coming, and as the light of the New Jeru- 
salem. 

4. His Voice. 

"And his voice as the sound of many waters." — 1:15. 

The sound of waters has a majesty, strength, melody 
and sweetness not found in anything else. The Psalmist 
describes the qualities of His voice "the voice of the Lord 
is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of Majesty." The 
voice that called creation into being, and shall call the 
slumbering dust of the dead to life, and shall announce the 
final destiny of all the family of man, is of all, most ma- 
jestic. 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



5. His Hand. 

"And he had in his right hand seven stars?' — 1:16. 

These stars held in His right hand are the pastors of 
the seven churches. Two things are represented by the 
right hand, strength and honor. The strength of the true 
minister is from God. "Not that we are sufficient of our- 
selves; but our sufficiency is of God; who hath made us 
able ministers of the New Testament." The honor of the 
pastorate is great. "Now then we are ambassadors for 
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray 
you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." The work 
of the divinely called ministry is shown by the seven stars, 
they are to be divinely directed, bare light to a dark world, 
and lead to Christ, like the star of Bethlehem. 

6. The Word— Sword. 

"And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.*' 
—1:16. 

The sword is an emblem of power, justice and sov- 
ereignty. No sword has been wielded with such power, 
keenness of edge and precision of stroke as the word- 
sword of divine truth, the "sword of the Spirit which is 
the word of God." "For the word of God is quick and 
powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing 
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the 
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and 
intents of the heart." This shows its piercing and analyz- 
ing power, dealing with the very fountain of motive. If 
we do not accept its invitations of pardon and mercy we 
shall feel its keenest edge in judgment. "He that reject- 
eth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judg- 
eth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall 
judge him in the last day." 

22 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



7. His Countenance. 

"And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his 
strength." — 1:16. 

The churches are lamps, the ministers stars, but Christ 
is the sun, the lamps may be dim, the stars of small mag- 
nitude, but Christ is the sun shining ''in his strength.'' 
When Paul the persecuting Saul met the Savior near Da- 
mascus it was in light above that of the mid-day sun. 
Christ spoke of His light, saying, "For as the lightning that 
lighteneth out of the one part under heaven shineth unto 
the other part under heaven; so also shall the Son of 
Man be in his day." In His life as presented in the Gos- 
pels we see Him A^eiled and subdued, a Man of Sorrows and 
acquainted wnth grief, with here and there a momentary 
gleam of glory and power as in the transfiguration, but 
here He shines forth in undimmed splendor. 

SEVEN THINGS THAT TRANSPIRED IN RENEW- 
ING BODILY ACQUAINTANCE UNDER 
CHANGED CONDITIONS BETWEEN 
THE MASTER AND HIS 
DISCIPLES. 

Chapter 1:17-20. 

1. The Apostle Overcome. 

"And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead." — 1:17. 

The light of the glorified Savior was so great that John 
was prostrated. The sight of the angel that came down 
and rolled away the stone from the sepulchre of Christ at 
the time of His resurrection caused the Roman guard to 
fall as dead men. 

2. Christ's Hand was Laid on Him. 

"And he laid his right hand upon me." 
The hand that had been stretched forth in miracles of 

23 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



healing, raising the dead, purging the temple, and nailed to 
Calvary's cross, was still extended in loving sympathy, 
touched the apostle with the old time familiarity. How 
changed the conditions now, than when they first met on 
the banks of far away Jordan. 

3. Christ Declares Himself. 

"Saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last." 
"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am 
alive forevermore. Amen." — 1:16, 17. 

What soothing, restful, precious words, "like apples of 
gold in pictures of silver." So like the words given to the 
storm-tossed disciples on Galilee. "It is I, be not afraid." 
After this greeting the apostle passed through scenes the 
most wonderful ever witnessed by man, with perfect ease. 
Having calmed his fears the Savior proclaims His divin- 
ity, eternity, incarnation, death and resurrection, in the 
most solemn manner, with the affirmation "Amen." 

4. Christ Proclaims His Victory. 

"And have the keys of hell and death." — 1:18. 

The keys stand for power and authority; and Christ a3 
the possessor of the keys shows His complete triumph over 
the strongholds of evil. 

"When he ascended upon high he led captivity captive 
and gave gifts unto men." He said, "I beheld Satan as 
lightning fall from heaven." The purpose of His incarna- 
tion and atonement was that He might destroy evil. "For 
this purpose, was the Son of Man manifested, that he 
might destroy the works of the devil." The purpose of 
this prophetic vision was that saints in the days of their 
conflict and pilgrimage might see and know the complete 
and eternal triumph of our Lord over His and their ene- 
mies. 

24 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



5. The Apostle Receives a Special Commission. Be- 
coming a Prophet — he had been an Apostle. He is now 
both an Apostle and a Prophet. 

"Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things 
which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." — 1:19. 

Direction is given as to how the divine truths of this 
prophecy shall be preserved, "write the things." "The 
things" of this prophecy were in the past, present and 
future, embracing the family of Man and the course of 
time. 

6. A Mystery. 

"The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in 
my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks." — 1:20. 

A mystery is something concealed, and requires an ex- 
position which is here given. This is the method of the 
book, all symbolism is explained. While the direct narra- 
tion of the great literal events receives no special elucida- 
tion, this principle of structure is of primary importance 
in the study of this prophecy. 

7. A Divine Exposition Given. 

"The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, 
and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the 
seven churches." — i :20. 

The angels were the pastors or ministers of the church- 
es. To them and the churches they represented this proph- 
ecy was given. It is a living vital communication to 
the churches and the pastors of to-day, and is as needful 
as when first given. The divine exposition of this symbol- 
ism in its literal and prophetic character embraces chapters 
II. and III. 

At the present time Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira 
are cities, Philadelphia a town, Sardis a small village, 
and Ephesus and Laodicea are desolations. The seven 

25 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



churches located in these seven ancient cities have long 
since passed away. They were all literal historical church- 
es. The very fact that seven churches were selected in- 
stead of some other number points to the completeness of 
the church's history from Pentecost to the coming of 
Christ. There were others, and many of them more con- 
spicuous than at least some of the churches named. These 
seven churches of Asia show the condition of the seven 
periods of the Christian church, throughout its entire his- 
tory. 

The elements of these seven churches are found in every 
church in greater or less degree of development, as the 
seven colors are contained in the sunbeam, requiring how- 
ever a raindrop or a prism to make the revelation. Vastly 
more is meant than a historical account of seven local 
churches in Asia Minor, some of them inconspicuous, and 
all having been obliterated for centuries. Without seeking 
to mark the historical periods represented by the seven 
churches with any specific accuracy we may view them in 
their general outline and chronological order, seeing and 
hearing our divine and triumphant Lord in the midst of 
the living seven branched candlesticks of His own cause. 

I. The Church of Ephesus. 

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These 
sayings saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right 
hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden can- 
dlesticks; 

"I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, 
and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and 
thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and 
are not, and hast found them liars: 

"And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's 
sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because 
thou hast left thy first love. 

"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and 
repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto 

26 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his 
place, except thou repent. 

"But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the 
Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 

*'He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I 
give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of 
the paradise of God." — 2:1-7. 

This church marks the period immediately following 
Pentecost. It was a time of great light, power and love, 
which was gradually lost. They had works, patience, zeal 
and hatred of the Nicolaitanes. This doctrine was the ex- 
altation of religious teachers and ecclesiasticism causing 
them to take the place of Christ, instead of representing 
Him. 

2. The Church of Smyrna. 

*'And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; 
These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, 
and is alive; 

*T know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but 
thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which 
say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of 
Satan. 

**Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: be- 
hold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye 
may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be 
thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of 
life. 

'*He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith 
unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt 
of the second death." — 2:8-11. 

This church describes the period following the apostolical 
age, it was a time of remarkable conflict with paganism 
and fierce and bloody persecution which threatened to 
sweep the cause of Christ from the earth; calling from 
the church great self-denial, poverty and sufferings. It 
also shows the exaltation of ecclesiasticism in a departure ^ 
from the simplicity of the Gospel service by the appella- 
tion "Synagogue of Satan." 

27 



EXPOSITION OF THE 
3. The Church of Pergamos. 

"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; 
These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with 
two edges; 

*T know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even 
where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and 
hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein An- 
tipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, 
where Satan dwelleth. 

"But I have a few things against thee, because thou 
hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who 
taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children 
of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to com- 
mit fornication. 

"So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the 
Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. 

"Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and 
will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I 
give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a 
white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which 
no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." — 2:12-17. 

This church represents the period of the church's tri- 
umph over paganism and a time of great material prosper- 
ity, leading into the dark ages. They dwelt where Satan 
had his throne. Some held the truth of God in this trying 
time, it was a period of compromise. The Balaamite who 
loved the wages of iniquity was prominent in the sale of 
indulgences, when the privilege to commit all manner of 
sin was given a commercial value and sold in the market. 
They also had the hated Nicolaitanes who taught the doc- 
trine that raised the church and ministry above Christ; 
usurping His place and claiming to dispense His merit 
as well as their own, in the fabled works of supereroga- 
tion, that a person by a special life of devotion will have 
more merit than they need for their own salvation and this 
was given to the church or its offices to be dispensed to 
those who have not sufficient of their own. This gave rise 

28 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



to the vast system of indulgences. The loving Savior deals 
directly with the heart of the humble penitent, dispensing 
His own merit in pardon, peace and restoration, the most 
godly life is dependent entirely upon the free and un- 
merited grace of Christ alone for all good. 

4. The Church of Thyatira. 

''And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; 
These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes 
like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 

"I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, 
and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more 
than the first. 

''Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, be- 
cause thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth her- 
self a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to com- 
mit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 

"And I gave her space to repent of her fornication;; 
and she repented not. 

"Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that 
commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except 
they repent of their deeds. 

"And I will kill her children with death; and all the 
churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the 
reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you 
according to your works. 

"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as 
many as have not this doctrine, and which have not 
known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon 
you none other burden. 

"But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 

"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto 
the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 

"And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the 
vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even 
as I received of my Father. 

"And I will give him the morning star. 

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
saith unto the churches." — 2:18-29. 

This church shows the period of the dark ages when the 
depth of Satan had been reached. Jezebel, the idolatrous 
queen of ancient Israel, the champion seducer in the days 



29 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



of Elijah, is represented as a teacher of the servants of 
God in all the unspeakable corruptions of idolatry, and 
that God had given even these terrible apostates oppor- 
tunity to repent but they had not. Observe that in the 
preceding period it is stated that there were some who 
held the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes and Balaam, but in 
this period, Jezebel, the arch seducer, is the acknowledged 
and duly constituted official instructor of the church. 
Apostasy and wickedness is cumulative, every plunging to 
greater depths. 

5. The Church of Sardis. 

"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; 
These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, 
and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast 
a name that thou livest, and art dead. 

"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, 
that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works per- 
fect before God. 

"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, 
and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not 
watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not 
know what hour I will come upon thee. 

"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not 
defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in 
white: for they are worthy. 

"He . that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in 
white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of 
the book of life, but I will confess his name before my 
Father, and before his angels. 

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith 
unto the churches." — 3:1-6. 

This church points to the period of the Reformation, 
one of the most important epochs of sacred history. The 
teachings of Balaam, Jezebel, and the Nicolaitanes had 
brought forth their harvest of stagnation, superstition and 
blasphemy, a veritable dead sea in the church age, "Thou 
hast a name that thou livest and art dead." This was a 
time of the most noble heroism, cruel and vicious perse- 

30 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



cution, and unsurpassed strife and controversy. The chief 
spiritual effort was to ''strengthen the things which remain 
that are ready to die." Few, if any of the early reformers 
sought more than to defend and maintain what little life, 
light and truth still survived amid the general spiritual des- 
olation of their time. Perhaps none of the early reform- 
ers anticipated in their fondest hopes the breakaway in 
magnitude, glory and power, which would result as the 
fruit of their labors. They sought to sweep away some 
of the more gross and aggravated abuses, not to found a 
new epoch; they builded as do all God's true children, 
better than they knew. 

6. The Church of Philadelphia. 

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; 
These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that 
hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shut- 
teth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 

**I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an 
open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little 
strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my 
name. 

"Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, 
which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I 
will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and 
to know that I have loved thee. 

"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I 
will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which 
shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon 
the earth. 

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, 
that no man take thy crown. 

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple 
of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write 
upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city 
of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down 
out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him 
my new name. 

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith 
unto the churches." — 3:7-13. 

This church presents the period following the Reforma- 



31 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

tion, an open door is set before them, and no man can 
shut it. What mighty efforts have been made by evil in 
its many channels to close this door. The blood of mil- 
lions of martyrs has been shed in the attempt. They had 
a little strength as the servants of God, but not the 
strength of the Pentecostal church, nor its purity. It is a 
time when the word of God is exalted, have "kept my 
word." The Holy Scriptures hold the pre-eminent place; 
they have as the reformed not denied His name, recogniz- 
ing as the fundamental creed that salvation is to be re- 
ceived alone in the merits of Jesus Christ. On the other 
hand the great spectacular service shall continue; "the 
synagogue of Satan." There is here given a prophecy, 
"I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, 
and to know that I have loved thee," showing the su- 
premacy of the reformation, in spirituality, enterprise, edu- 
cation, invention, civil and religious liberty, and stability of 
civil government; with all their attendant blessings. 

7. The Church of Laodicea. 

"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans 
write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true 
witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; 
I would thou wert cold or hot. 

"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold 
nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 

"Because thou saj^est, I am rich, and increased with 
goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that 
thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and 
naked: 

"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, 
that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou 
mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness 
do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that 
thou mayest see. 

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous 
therefore, and repent. 

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man 

32 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, 
and will sup with him, and he with me. 

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in 
my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with 
my Father in his throne. 

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
saith unto the churches." — 3:14-22. 

This church concludes the period from the Philadelphia!! 
church to the return of our Lord. It will be a time of general 
spiritual decadence expressed in lukewarm and self-right- 
eous conditions, with much of self-delusion: "Because thou 
sayest I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need 
of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and 
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Counsel is 
giving for anointing the eyes, buying "gold" and securing 
"raiment" showing in a figurative way great spiritual desti- 
tution. These seven churches were not the leading church- 
es of Christendom, they were not the only churches of 
Asia, nor were they nearest to the Isle of Patmos. They 
were chosen from among all to hear the message to the 
Christian ages. That the seven local churches represented 
the church age, or dispensation is clearly shown: First: 
By the number seven, showing completion of period. Sec- 
ond. By the symbolism of the seven golden candlesticks. 
Christ says the mystery of the seven golden candlesticks 
is the seven churches. This certainly could not be lim- 
ited to these seven local churches, for without doubt the 
seven golden candlesticks represented all the churches of 
Christ in all time. Third: Christ represents Himself as 
walking in the midst of these seven golden candlesticks 
which are the seven churches; it is equally certain that 
this is expressive of His attitude in all His churches in all 
time. Fourth: The stars held in his right hand being the 
angels or pastors of the seven churches show His relation 
to all true pastors of His appointment in all time. Fifth: 

33 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



The word-sword which proceeded out of His mouth, the 
Word of God, is full of force and authority, not alone 
. over the seven local churches of Asia, but over all His 
servants in all the ages of the church. Sixth: He said to the 
apostle, "I will show you things to come." Seventh: In 
the divine direction that these things should be written in 
a book, and sent to the seven churches, and as a conse- 
quence, to every church in Christendom, and are univer- 
sally regarded as being of equal authority and application 
to all churches whenever or wherever located. In these 
seven churches what a composite picture of all churches is 
given, "wheat'* and "tares," "light" and "darkness," truth and 
falsehood, purity and impurity, martyrdom and persecu- 
tion, spiritual insight and self-delusion. What a field! 
What a harvest! May God help us to heed the seven-fold 
warning, and receive the seven-fold reward. 

THE SEVEN DIVISIONS OF THE SEVEN EPISTLES 
TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. 

Chapters 2 and 3. 

In the seven epistles or messages to the churches we 
have Christ's message to the seven ages of the church, 
and also to the seven different elements of every individual 
church. These seven epistles to the churches are un- 
abridged addresses of Christ. They should be exceedingly 
precious to His disciples. These seven epistles are all di- 
vided into seven distinct parts. 

I. The Address. 

The seven churches are named in such order as to pre- 
sent a panoramic view of the seven epochs of the church 
dispensation, embracing the time from Pentecost to the 
coming of Christ. 

34 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



2. Some Characteristic of Christ Especially Appropriate 
to Them in Their Condition. 

Christ is shown in a seven-fold view especially adapted 
to the peculiar needs of each church, epoch, and individual. 
No possible condition can arise in which the loving Savior 
will not be found the all-sufficient Redeemer "walking 
amidst the seven golden candlesticks, the first and the last 
which was dead, and is alive, and hath the sword with two 
edges, hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet 
like fine brass, hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven 
stars. He that is holy, He that is true. He that hath the 
keys of David, He that openeth and no man shutteth, that 
shutteth and no man openeth, the Amen, the faithful and 
true witness, the beginning of the creation of God." What 
a marvelous and comprehensive Christology is here given 
by Himself. 

3. The Perfect Knowledge of Christ Concerning all 
Their Righteousness and Service. 

Although just presented in all His majesty, power and 
glory, here, as elsewhere in the Scriptures, He is shown 
as taking the most minute notice of all service performed 
for Him. Nothing is so trifling as to escape Him. Surely 
this glorious and majestic personage is none other than the 
meek and lowly Jesus, who said in the days of His humilia- 
tion and incarnation, "Whosoever shall give to drink unto 
one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the 
name of a disciple, verily, I say unto you, he shall in no 
wise lose his reward." 

4. A Perfect Diagnosis of Their Spiritual Conditions. 

His piercing insight into their spiritual conditions and 
deficiencies is for the purpose of becoming to the needy a 
complete and sovereign remedy. 

35 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



5. The Statement of His Coming and the Result to 
Them. 

The coming of the Master will be with penalty and re- 
ward. Measuring to the impenitent their just deserts, and 
rewarding the faithful with the richest treasures of grace 
and love. 

6. A Special Promise to the Victor. 

The seven rewards comprise the perfect reward of the 
individual victor. 

The Ephesian victor — to eat of the tree of life in the 
midst of the Paradise of God, Eden restored with its 
blessed relations. Smyrna — the crown of life, the righteous 
saved from the judgment flood in the ark. Pergamos — the 
hidden manna, Israel fed forty years in the wilderness. 
Thyatira — authority over the nations, conquest of Canaan 
under Joshua and the judges, Sardis — clothed in white 
raiment, the priesthood in all its splendor and glory. 
Philadelphia — pillar in the temple of God, temple built by 
Solomon restored under Zerubbabel. Laodicea — sit with 
me in my throne, the throne of David and Solomon, as 
rulers anointed of God. They shall sit on twelve thrones 
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. These, the choice 
things of the Scriptural ages, in their spiritual significance 
are promised to the lowly, self-denying, triumphant dis- 
ciple of Jesus. 

7. A Universal Command to Hear the Divine Com- 
munication of the Holy Spirit. 

This closing command repeated seven times gives per- 
fect emphasis. 

How responsive should the truly saved be to the Holy 
Spirit, the chief executive in the living church, for He takes 
the place of the bodily Presence of our divine Lord, as the 
immediate director in all true spiritual service. 

36 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

In this prophetic view of the history of the church in 
its seven great epochs the evil is also noted in its cumula- 
tive character and progressive course. 

The Ephesians had left their first love and become cold. 
Smyrna had the synagogue of Satan, a false worship. Per- 
gamos, imbibed the doctrine of Balaam, retaining a right- 
eous exterior, but secretly abetting evil for gain. Thyatira 
suffered Jezebel to teach and seduce to idolatry, bringing 
in false religions, and substituting them for the true serv- 
ice and worship of the living God. Sardis, retained a good 
name, "thou hast a name that thou livest," but this was 
only a form of life. They had a heart of death. Philadel- 
phia had reached the apex of falsehood and hypocrisy in 
claiming what they were not. Laodicea was lukewarm, the 
most hopeless and distasteful to God of all possible condi- 
tions. 

Our Savior's word concerning His people as kindling 
a fire, causing divisions, bearing the cross, fearing not those 
who kill the body, that they should be hated for His 
Name's sake, and how they should pray for their perse- 
cutors, does not indicate a golden age under the church 
dispensation. 

Did the fall of angels demonstrate the purpose of God 
a failure? Or the fall of man, or the chosen people of 
Israel the churches* failure to convert the world? By no 
means. Satan is declared to be the god of this world, 
Christ's ministers but ambassadors, the saints pilgrims, the 
gospel preached for a witness. The divine purpose shall 
not fail, but be abundantly triumphant. 

The Book of Revelation is to give to the faithful a 
clear view of the complete and eternal victory of right- 
eousness over every foe. 

When we understand the purpose of the present, the 
church age, or dispensation; that it is to gather out "A 

37 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



people for His Name," we shall not suffer discouragement, 
but will be enabled to enter into the divine purpose under- 
standingly as co-laborers with Him, who walks in match- 
less glory in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. 

The church order or dispensation closes at this point, 
having under the present conditions and agencies fulfilled 
the divine purpose. "For the Lord Himself shall descend 
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel 
and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall 
rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be 
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the 
Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.'* 

SECTION IIL 

CHRIST REVEALED IN THE RESURRECTION OF 
THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD, AND IN THE TRANS- 
LATION OF THE LIVING SAINTS. 

Chapters IV. and V. 

I. An Open Door into Heaven. 

"After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in 
heaven." — 4:1. 

This marks the beginning of a new order in which 
as in the preceding Patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations, 
all the essentials were carried over into the succeeding one 
with added power and glory. 

John ascended to heaven, and received the direct com- 
mand to write the things which he saw and heard. The 
preceding vision on the Isle of Patmos was of Christ in 
His relation to the church, from Pentecost to His com- 
ing. The words, "after this" show clearly that this second 
vision embraces the relation of Christ to His cause, from 
the church age to the consummation of all things. Both 

38 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



visions have to do directly with the same subject, viz.: 
Christ in person and cause, in trial and triumph. 

2. The Voice Which Called Jahn to See the First Vis- 
ion, now Calls him to Heaven to Behold the Second. 

"And the first voice vsrhich I heard was as it were a 
trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither and 
I will show thee things which must be hereafter." — 4:1. 

The apostles John and Paul were taken up into heaven. 
Paul was forbidden to reveal its wonders, and John was 
commanded to write the things which he saw and heard. 

These transfers are but the forerunners of what shall 
come to all the saved. The translation of the saints from 
earth to heaven is very clearly and fully given in the Holy 
Scriptures, the "dead in Christ shall rise first: then we 
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with 
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." 

The command to "come up hither'* was a transfer as 
miraculous as the translation of Enoch and Elijah. 

3. The Spiritual and Prophetic Insight Which Prepares 
John to Receive the First Vision and Divine Prophecy, 
Prepares Him for the Second. 

"And immediately I was in the spirit." — 4:2. 

All prophetic communication from God is through the 
Holy Ghost. "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved 
by the Holy Ghost." 

Philip was taken up, and transported bodily by the 
power of the Holy Spirit. "And when they were come up 
out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away 
Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on 
his way rejoicing, but Philip was found at Azotus." The 
Holy Spirit was the means of John's transfer from the Isle 
of Patmos to heaven. 



39 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



4. The Throne of God. 

"And behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat 
on the throne." — 4:2. 

The Psalmist declares, "The Lord hath prepared his 
throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all." 
The throne stands for sovereignty and power. The former 
order, the church age represented by the seven branched 
candlestick, and prophetically outlined by the seven 
churches of Asia, has just passed away, and a new order 
was being ushered in. In this new dispensation there is 
given a new revealment of Christ. The period just closed 
shows Him walking in the midst of the seven golden can- 
dlesticks or churches on earth superintending and caring 
for them. In this vision of redemption and triumph the 
entire Trinity in official relations is shown, the Father sit- 
ting on the throne, the Holy Ghost, as the seven lamps 
of fire, and Christ as the Lamb in the midst of the throne, 
opening the book of seven seals. 

5. The Occupant of the Throne. 

"And he that sat, was to look upon like a jasper and 
a sardine stone." — 4:3. 

The jasper was a clear white, and the sardine stone was 
a bright blood red. The appearance would be like an un- 
clouded flame intensely strong, 

God has revealed Himself many times under similar 
forms, as in the burning bush, the pillar of fire, the falling 
flame upon the sacrifice of Elijah, and in the fire that fell 
upon the sacrifice when the Tabernacle was dedicated. 
Fire used in sacrifice kindled in any other way, was called 
strange fire and was forbidden. 

6. The Rainbow. 

"And there was a rainbow around about the throne, in 
sight like unto an emerald." — ^4:3. 

The rainbow was a token or sign of God's ancient 

40 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



covenant with man, living creatures, and the earth, at the 
time of Noah's flood. "And God said, this is the token of 
the Covenant w^hich I make between Me and you, and every 
living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations; 
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token 
of the covenant between Me and the earth. And the bow 
shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may 
remember the everlasting covenant between God and every 
living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." 

The account of the token of the covenant, calls atten- 
tion to the circumstances which surrounded the covenant 
itself. "And Noah built an altar unto the Lord, and 
took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and 
offered burnt offerings on the altar, and the Lord smelled 
a sweet savor, and the Lord said in his heart, I will not 
again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the 
imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither 
will I again smite any more everything living, as I have 
done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, 
and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and 
night shall not cease." 

The rainbow was the token of a new covenant which 
embraced both animate and inanimate nature in provisions 
of mercy and love, and this covenant was founded upon 
the sacrifice Noah had just offered. This marked the ush- 
ering in of a new period, or order, but back of it was the 
sombre outline of judgment in a destroyed world; before it 
was the covenant mercies of God. This bow was emerald, 
that is green, the color most pleasing and restful to the 
eye, and the general color of all vegetable life. 

The circumstances immediately surrounding these two 
bows are very similar, first, a company of redemed, sec- 
ond, back of each lay a world desolated by sin; third, be- 

41 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



fore them were immeasurable blessings of gracious coven- 
ant relations with God. 

7. The Twenty-four Sub-thrones of Heaven. 

"And around about the throne were four and twenty 
seats." — 4:4. 

In ancient times some of the great sovereigns permitted 
the conquered and transferred kings, who had been taken 
from their own countries, to set up their thrones in the 
great central capital of the Empire, and exercise a sub- 
rulership. "And it came to pass in the seventh and thir- 
tieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachim, king of Judah, 
in the twelfth month, on the seventh and twentieth 
day of the month, that Evil-Merodach, king of Babylon, in 
the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of 
Jehoiachim, king of Judah, out of prison; and he spake 
kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the 
kings that were in Babylon." 

THE ACTIVITIES OF HEAVEN. 

Chapter 4:4-11. 

1. The Twenty-four Elders. 

"And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders 
sitting." — 4:4. 

These twenty-four enthroned elders may be the twelve 
patriarchs, and the twelve apostles. The elders of ancient 
Israel were the heads of the families, and were positions 
of authority and profound respect, they were in a sense 
both judges and governors. 

The twelve patriarchs under the old covenant, and the 
twelve apostles under the new covenant, occupy a position 
in the eldership held by no others. 

2. The Apparel of the Twenty-four Elders. 

"Clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads 
crowns of gold." — ^4:4. 

42 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



Their apparel and crowns show them to be invested 
with both priestly and regal dignity, kings and priests. 
They are not standing as courtiers, or prostrate as suppli- 
cants, but sitting upon their thrones, clad in the insignia 
of their exalted offices. 

3. Lightning and Thunder, and Voices from the 
Throne of God. 

''And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thun- 
derings and voices." — ^4:5. 

These portentious expressions indicate a time of power 
and judgment. Thunder and lightning are among the most 
aw^e inspiring phenomena of nature, and have in attendance 
the mightiest and most destructive forces. The source of 
this manifestation of power and judgment is the sovereignty 
of God,^ "out of the throne." 

4. The Seven Lamps of Fire Before the Throne of God. 

*'And there were seven lamps of fire burning before 
the throne, which are the seven spirits of God." — 4:5. 

This is the Holy Ghost, seven meaning perfection. The 
Holy Spirit is the administrator of the divine government; 
this is indicated by the statement ^'before the throne," also 
the source of divine illumination "lamps of fire." "How 
be it when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you 
into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but what- 
soever he shall hear, that shall he speak; for he will show 
you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall 
receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." 

In a certain sense, until the coming of Christ, the Fa- 
ther held the pre-eminent position as the director in the 
divine cause. When Christ came, in a special manner He 
held chief position in the Kingdom of God. From the 
day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost becomes the Chief Exec-, 
utive, as may be clearly seen in the Acts of the Apostles, 

43 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



and Epistles, also in the seven epistles to the seven church- 
es of Asia, in each of which it is written, "He that hath 
an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith tmto the 
churches." 

5. The Sea of Glass. 

"And before the throne there was a sea of glass like 
unto crystal/* — 4:6. 

This is a description of the place where the throne is 
set, and the heavenly assemblage held. The sea gives the 
thought of great expanse, glass, transparency and purity. 
Those called to meet God on Sinai declared, "they saw the 
God of Israel; and there was under His feet as it were a 
paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the body of 
heaven in its clearness.'' 

6. The Four Beasts. 

"And in the midst of the throne, and round about the 
throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 

"And the first beast was like a lion, and the second 
beast was like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a 
man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 

"And the four beasts had each of them six wings about 
him; and they were full of eyes within." — 4:6, 7. 

These four beasts — living ones, are Cherubim, a high 
and mighty order of angels. They seem to form part of 
the throne, as well as surrounding it, "in the midst of the 
throne, and round about the throne." 

The Cherubim in the Scriptures are shown to stand in 
a most vital relation to God, and at the same time inti- 
mately connected with man in the great facts of sin and 
redemption. "So he drove out the man, and he placed at 
the east of the garden of Eden, Cherubim and a flaming 
sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree 
of life." "And thou shalt make two Cherubim of gold, 

44 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



of beaten work shalt thou make them." "And the Cheru- 
bim shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the 
mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look 
one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of 
the Cherubim be. And there I will meet with thee, and 
I will commune with thee, and from above the mercy seat, 
and between the two Cherubims which are upon the ark 
of the testimony." 

The most exalted types of life on earth are taken in a 
composite form to convey the range and power of the life 
of the Cherubim; man, lion, ox and eagle, expressing intel- 
ligence, courage, service and nobility. 

7. The Heavenly Worship. 

"And they rest not night and day, saying. Holy, holy, 
holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to 
come, 

"And when those beasts give glory and honor and 
thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever 
and ever, 

"The four and twenty elders fall down before him that 
sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and 
ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, 

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor 
and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy 
pleasure they are and were created." — 4:8-11. 

The ceaseless worship of the Cherubim is joined by the 
twenty-four elders. The theme of their exalted service, is 
the holiness of God and His creative power. His character 
and works call forth the heart's adoration of Cherubim and 
redeemed humanity. The purpose of all creation is set 
forth, that it is to minister to the pleasure of God. Sin 
turns this, the great purpose of creation, from its original 
object. Redemption in Jesus Christ alone can restore to 
purity, glory and delight; to the living God the crimson 
souled sinner, and a cursed and blighted earth. 

45 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



THE GREAT REDEMPTION. 

Chapter 5:1-14. 

I. The Book. 

"And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the 
throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed 
with seven seals." — 5:1. 

All the Scriptural ages and dispensations are directly- 
associated with this book held in the right hand of the 
Infinite God. 

The mighty and startling events described in this proph- 
ecy are directly related to it. A book around which clus- 
ters the greatest events of time and eternity demands from 
us a most careful consideration. 

It is the book of redemption, because it is taken by the 
slain but living Lamb out of the right hand of God. 

This gives the key to the purpose and subject of this 
wonderful book sealed with its seven seals, and held in the 
right hand of Him who sits upon the throne. 

In order to get a clear view of the subject of redemp- 
tion, observe the institution as God gave it to His people 
Israel. "The land shall not be sold forever, for the land 
is mine, for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. And 
in all the land of your possessions ye shall grant a redemp- 
tion for the land. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath 
sold away some of His possessions, and if any of his kin 
come to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it, then 
shall he redeem that which his brother sold. And if the 
man hath none to redeem it, and himself be able to re- 
deem it, then let him count the years of the sale thereof, 
and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; 
that he may return unto his possession. But if he be not 
able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall re- 
main in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year 

46 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



of Jubilee, and in the Jubilee, it shall go out and he shall 
return unto his possessions." 

This shows three things, first, that at the Jubilee, which 
came every fifty years, that the lost inheritance would be 
restored to the original owners. There was a provision 
that the price should be rated according to the number of 
years, until the Jubilee period. *'And if there remain but a 
few years unto the year of Jubilee, then shall he count with 
him, and according unto his years shall be given him again 
the price of his redemption." Second: It was provided 
that he might redeem himself if he could. Third, it was 
specifically provided that the kinsman nearest of blood 
should have the first choice of redemption. Not only the 
man's inheritance was lost to him and his family, but it 
took him and his family with it. "And as a yearly hired 
servant shall he be with him, and the other shall not rule 
with rigor over him in thy sight, and if he be not re- 
deemed in those years, then he shall go out in the year of 
Jubilee, both he and his children with him." 

A clear account of the kinsman's place in redemption 
is given in the Book of Ruth 4:1-6 and Jeremiah 32:9-15. 

Here it is clearly shown that there were two writings, 
one open, the other sealed, and in this mortgage were the 
exact terms of redemption, or conditions which if fulfilled 
would return the lost inheritance to its original owner, with 
his family's complete restoration to their original liberty. 
This book was peculiar in that it was written on the back 
side. This especially shows that it was a book of redemp- 
tion, for this was the attestation of the witnesses. An au- 
thority on the ancient customs says: "For the manner of 
writing the contract, he who was to buy the ground wrote 
two instruments; the one he sealed with his own signet, 
the other he showed unclosed to the witnesses, that they 
might subscribe and bear witness of that which was writ- 

47 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



ten. This the witnesses did, subscribing upon the back of 
the enclosed instrument." 

One was open for public inspection, the other was 
sealed and closed up, until such time as it should be 
needed. The open instrument is the Scriptures. The 
sealed book is the same being fulfilled by Christ in the 
great and marvelous events of redemption. 

Man had a great inheritance given him of God, spiritual 
and material. God in His richness and fulness was his 
God, his possession, and all the realms of nature were his, 
a palace of goodness, a garden of deHghts, nothing could 
be added, where everything was good and very good, and 
he himself created in the image of the Deity. 

The Infinite established man's authority as vice-gerent 
in the earth by saying: "Subdue it, and have dominion over 
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over 
every living thing that moveth upon the earth." 

But man has been dethroned, his grand and noble inherit- 
ance has been lost, "the crown is fallen from our head; 
woe unto us that we have sinned." A usurper has come 
in, "the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them 
which believeth not." "For we know that the whole crea- 
tion groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first 
fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within our- 
selves, waiting for the adoption, to wit: the redemption of 
our body." 

The law, prophets, gospels and epistles have as their 
great central theme, our redemption, the conditions, the 
price paid, our goel or nearest of kin — the Lord Jesus 
Christ. This scene shows Him having paid the price of our 
redemption, he proceeds to break the seals and enter upon 
the full possession of His, and we in Him, our inheritance; 
so long alienated, but now about to return to us forever.. 

48 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



with added revealments of our Redeemer's power and 
glory. All the succeeding events of the Book of Revela- 
tion are the successive steps to this final object, the uni- 
versal and absolute dominion of Christ and His redeemed 
to the patrimony of the Father, Almighty Creator of 
heaven and earth. 

2. A Great Proclamation. 

"And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud 
voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the 
seals thereof? 

"And no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the 
earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 

"And I wept much, because no man was found worthy 
to open and read the book, neither to look thereon." — 5: 
2-4. 

This proclamation was universal, the Redeemer of the 
lost inheritance with all His other qualifications must be 
the nearest of kin, that is a blood relative. Christ our 
Elder Brother alone possessed the necessary qualities of 
the Goel or Redeemer having both the means and the kin- 
ship. The book of seven seals was held in the right hand 
of God. The great company of the saints then in glory 
and the angelic hosts were gathered around the throne in 
heaven, when this mighty angel comes forth and chal- 
lenges the universe of sentient being to open the book, 
that is to meet the conditions and buy back the lost inherit- 
ance. There was no one found able or w^orthy to read or 
open its seals, that was to pay the enormous price of re- 
demption. 

The thought that after all that had been done, the lost 
inheritance in its fulness would not be restored, caused 
John to weep. All were put to silence, infinite justice must 
be fully met by an infinitely holy and competent offering 
and no created being however holy and mighty, could 
meet the conditions. 

49 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



3. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah— The Prevailing 
Prince. 

"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; be- 
hold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David, 
hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven 
seals thereof." — 5:5. 

Christ was of the tribe of Judah, "it is evident that our 
Lord sprang out of Judah." The patriarchal blessing point- 
ed out this tribe as the ruling power, "Judah is a lion's 
whelp; from the prey my son thou are gone up; he stooped 
down, he crouched as a lion, as an old lion; who shall 
rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, 
nor a law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come; 
and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." 

This ancient prophecy clearly confers upon the tribe of 
Judah the rulership of the ancient people. This was abund- 
antly reaffirmed in God's covenant to David, "He shall 
build a house for my name and I will establish the throne 
of his kingdom forever, I will be his Father and he shall , 
be my Son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with 
the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of 
men; but my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I 
took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine 
house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before 
thee; thy throne shall be established forever." The proph- 
ecy quoted to the wise men from the East when they came 
with their startling inquiry, "Where is he that is born King 
of the Jews?" is very clear. "And when he had gathered 
all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he 
demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they 
said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written 
by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah 
art not the least among the princes of Judah; for out of 

50 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people 
Israel/' 

The elder speaks of Christ also as the root of David. 
All David's governmental rule over Israel sprang from his 
being chosen and anointed of God as His representative. 
The throne belonged to God. ''Then Solomon sat on the 
throne of the Lord as King, instead of David, his father." 
Satan's temptation of Christ was to seize the kingdom by- 
arbitrary power as a gift from him instead of meeting the 
penalty, and paying the full price for redemption. "Again 
the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high moun- 
tain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and 
the glory of them; and saith unto him: All these things will 
I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me." The 
disciples were greatly interested in His entering at once 
upon His inheritance, the kingdom. On various occasions 
it had been the subject of dispute among them, and even 
after His resurrection it occupied their minds. "When they 
therefore were come together, they asked him, saying. 
Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 
And he saith unto them. It is not for you to know the 
times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his 
own power." 

The two disciples going to Emmaus in sorrow were 
dwelling upon this same theme, when they said, "We trust- 
ed that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel." 

Our Savior reaffirmed this central truth over and over 
again in His parables. "The kingdom of heaven is like," 
showing the different elements that lead up to it, or en- 
tered into its deeper spiritual life. 

What a great truth He taught in the prayer, "Thy 
kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in ^ 
heaven." That prayer is now about to be answered in full, 
and its accomplishment is seen in the world-wide events 

51 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



which are connected with, and following this heavenly 
scene. 

4. Christ the Slain Lamb in the Midst of the Throne, 
Takes the Book of Redemption. 

"And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and 
of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a 
Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven 
eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth in all 
the earth. 

"And he came and took the book out of the right hand 
of him that sat upon the throne." — 5:6, 7. 

The lion represents Christ's regal or governmental posi- 
tion, the Lamb His sacrificial and redemptive office. The 
Lamb is here seen in the midst of the throne. The Father 
occupied the throne as a cloudless flame, the Lamb is seen 
in the midst of this lambent flame or visible presence and 
the Holy Ghost as seven lamps of fire before the throne. 
The Lamb is described as having seven horns. This is 
indicative of His power, and seven as perfect and unlimited 
power. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 
all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." The 
Lamb is said to have "seven eyes, which are the seven 
spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." This suggests 
His perfect vision, "Neither is there any creature that is 
not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and 
open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." 
This indicates the relation of Christ and the Holy Ghost 
in the divine plan of redemption. "Nevertheless I tell you 
the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I 
go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if 
I depart I will send him unto you, and when he is come 
he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and 
of judgment; of sin because they believe not on me; of 
righteousness because I go to my Father and ye shall see 

52 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



me no more; of judgment because the prince of this world 
is judged/' 

"A Lamb as it had been slain.'* Considering the sur- 
roundings this is one of the most vivid presentations of 
the atoning sacrifice of Christ to be found in the Holy 
Scriptures. Fundamental to the great sacrificial system 
which God had given to His ancient people was the morn- 
ing and evening sacrifice. "Now this is that which thou 
shalt offer upon the altar, two lambs of the first year, day 
by day continually. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the 
morning; and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even." 
"This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your 
generations.'' 

Abraham as he journeyed with his son Isaac to the 
mount of sacrifice said, "My son, God will provide himself 
with a lamb for a burnt offering." 

John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which 
taketh away the sin of the world." 

The apostle teaches with great clearness the vicarious 
atonement saying, "For as much as ye know that ye were 
not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 
from your vain conversation received by tradition from 
your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as a 
lamb without blemish and without spot." A "lamb as it 
had been slain," resurrected, standing, acting, the Re- 
deemer. 

The soul may well exclaim as the great work of the 
Redeemer unfolds, "O the depth of the riches both of the 
wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his 
judgments and his ways past finding out." 

5. A New Song Sung in Heaven. 

"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and 
the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, 
having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of 
odours, which are the prayers of saints. 

53 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy 
to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou 
wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out 
of every kindred, and tongue and people, and nation; 

"And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and 
we shall reign on the earth." — 5:8-10. 

How can the sublimity of this act be adequately de- 
scribed and its eternal consequence measured "when he had 
taken the book." At last the hour has come when the 
Redeemer, who long since had paid on Calvary the full 
price of redemption, proceeds to take actual possession of 
the redeemed inheritance. Earnests of redemption in par- 
don and purity to repentant souls have come to myriads of 
hearts in all the sweetness of infinite love. 

Resurrected and translated saints have entered heaven 
and are with the angelic hosts around the throne of 
God. Yet not one of all this host of the redeemed have 
received their full inheritance or measured the vast do- 
mains of their God given possessions. Imagination itself 
staggers and falters under the effort to grasp the immeas- 
urable blessings of the Infinite to the finite; "unto him that 
is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we 
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." 

"Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus 
throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." 

In the Lamb's taking this, the book of redemption, out 
of the hand of him that sitteth upon the throne is seen the 
beginning of the end of the kingdom of darkness and sin 
to be consummated step by step to final completion. The 
harps here spoken of are indicative of the joyous and 
triumphant nature of this wonderful transaction. 

The offering of incense was an important part of the 
ancient service, this is an evident allusion to that service 
for the golden vials or censors are said to be the "prayers 
of the saints." "Let my prayer be set before thee as in- 

54 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



cense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sac- 
rifice." 

The taking of the book and its prospective results cause 
the very fountains of glory to overflow with ecstatic joy. 

They were to occupy the royal and sacerdotal offices 
combined, and reign on the earth assisting in the divine 
administration of the paradisiacal world when it shall have 
been completely restored to such conditions as originally 
called forth from God the declaration "good, very good." 
The saints will be co-rulers with God in the redeemed 
earth. "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; 
and we shall reign on the earth." 

"And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of 
the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the 
people of the saints of the Most High." 

6. All Creation Joins in Pronouncing a Blessing upon 
Christ. 

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels 
round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders: 
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thou- 
sand, and thousands of thousands; 

"Saying with a loud voice. Worthy is the Lamb that 
was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and 
strength, and honor and glory, and blessing. 

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the 
earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in 
them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and 
power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto 
the Lamb forever and ever." — 5:11-13. 

To celebrate the redemptive work of the Lamb heaven 
and earth join in one grand chorus, this is indeed the "Ora- 
torio of the Messiah." Even fallen spirits both of men and 
angels, the peoples upon the earth and the heavenly hosts 
all join in their sense of reverence and justice and ac- 
knowledge Christ as the one and only Redeemer. 

His holiness, sacrifice and ability for the great work is 

55 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



acknowledged by all. This recognition has often been 
given in a lesser degree by devils who acknowledged His 
Messiahship, also by many of the most wicked of earth. A 
Judas casts down the pieces of money he received to be- 
tray His Master, saying: "I have betrayed the innocent 
blood." Caiaphas per force of his office would prophesy 
that Jesus should die for that nation and not only that 
nation only, *'but also that he should gather together in 
one the children of God that were scattered abroad." A 
Pilate could say before the multitude, "I find in him no 
fault at all." 

Among the most wicked and skeptical, few are found 
who do not praise and honor the "Man of Galilee" even 
though they see Him only in His humiliation. What would 
their testimony be should they behold Him in His exalta- 
tion and glory? The immense number that join in 
this benediction are beyond computation. The blessing is 
divided into seven ascriptions of praise: "power," "riches," 
"wisdom," "strength," "honor," "glory," and "blessing." 

7. The Affirmation of the Cherubim and Eldership. 

"And the four beasts said. Amen. And the four and 
twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth for- 
ever and ever." — 5:14. 

A mighty affirmation is given the "Amen," of the Cher- 
ubim and elders, "for all the promises of God in him are 
yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." He 
alone was worthy, qualified and abundantly able to meet 
all the demands of the perfect Redeemer, and restore com- 
pletely the lost inheritance. These wonderful transactions 
of the heavenly world are not imaginary, but living actual 
facts, not mysteries but revealments of Christ in His Great 
work as Savior of a lost world. 

As a brief summary observe that now the church dis- 

56 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



pensation with its seven periods as outlined by the seven 
churches of Asia, in which we now live, has come to a 
close. At the close of the church dispensation occurs the 
coming of Christ when all the righteous dead are raised, 
and the living saints translated and together ascend to 
heaven leaving the world with all the wicked dead tmres- 
urrected and all the unsaved living as they now are. It is 
an exodus to glory that does not materially affect the 
Egypt of this world in its moral relations to God. This 
does not however cut off the wicked living at this time 
from the means of pardon and salvation in Christ, any 
more than the removal of a true child of God from a 
community would deprive the remaining persons from 
seeking Christ and being saved, the end of probation is 
still a future event. Following the ascension of the right- 
eous at the close of the church dispensation Christ is seen 
in His redemptive character as he takes up the complete 
restoration of the inheritance, in taking the book of re- 
demption out of the hand of the Father, calling forth such 
mighty emotions, in the new song, from all the intelli- 
gent beings of the Universe.' The successive steps of the 
world's redemption are marked by the breaking of the 
seven seals and their subdivisions of trumpets, vials, etc., 
and are recounted in the book of Revelation from the 
sixth to the twentieth chapters. The view point is import- 
ant to a clear understanding of these matchless scenes of 
divine power and glory. 

The church period was seen from the earth, the Isle 
of Patmos, and dealt almost entirely with earthly condi- 
tions. 

The second view is from heaven and deals largely with 
heavenly conditions, and that which follows is viewed from 
both heaven and earth; there are however some exceptions 
to this. 

57 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



SECTION IV. 

CHRIST REVEALED IN HIS JUDGMENT UPON THE 

LIVING. 

Chapters VI. to XX :3. 

THE SEVEN SEALS. Chapter 6 to 8:6. 

There is one great and important Scriptural truth which 
is largely overlooked. That is God's judgment upon the 
living. The Scriptures have many instances of divine judg- 
ment visited upon the wicked in this life. 

This judgment is altogether aside from the judgment 
and retribution of the incorrigibly wicked in the final judg- 
ment. This judgment upon the wicked or living of a fallen 
race., nations and individuals is much more conspicuous 
from Eden to the present hour than we generally admit, 
and in the epoch covered by the seven seals will reach its 
highest expression upon earth. "And he commanded us 
to preach unto the people, and to testify that it was he 
which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and 
dead." Judgment against sin in a limited way began with 
the first transgression in Eden. The opening of the seven 
seals is this judgment upon the quick or living during the 
time covered by these chapters. The righteous dead and 
translated saints having ascended to glory at the coming 
of Christ at the close of the church dispensation as we 
have previously shown, this change would not produce 
so marked an effect in the present order of things as we 
might at first think. The patriarchal dispensation passed 
away and the new order of the national life of Israel was 
instituted under the law, but the world at large was not 
materially changed. 

The law gave way to the new covenant in the Gospel, 
but the general conditions, and the great institutions, and 

58 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



mass of earth's inhabitants remained the same in their 
general conditions, and so it will be when Christ 
comes. However, it will be a much more startling and ab- 
rupt transition than the preceding. The breaking of the 
seven seals will usher in the great and terrible judgment 
upon the quick or living. Out of this period of judgment 
upon the quick, large numbers will be saved, for probation 
remains to the living still on earth; time has not closed and 
will not until the general judgment. Conditions will be 
vastly more difficult than in the preceding age, that is the 
present time. Wickedness will advance with giant strides 
toward the harvest of iniquity, both human and diabolical. 
Evil, advancing from that day in eternity when fallen an- 
gels first raised the standard of rebellion against the Infi- 
nite, rallying to their dark cause the family of man, will 
reach its highest point and greatest expression in this 
time. God's great judgments will be visited upon the liv- 
ing because as evil expresses itself the repressive hand of 
the Infinite is laid upon it, ''For the mystery of iniquity 
doth already work only he who now letteth will let until 
he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked 
be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit 
of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his 
coming; even him whose coming is after the working of 
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and 
with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that 
perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that 
they might be saved." The judgment upon the living as 
shown by the breaking of the seven seals extends from the 
coming of Christ to the Millennium. 

The opening of each one of the seven seals by Christ 
in heaven is followed by a special expression of divine 
power upon earth, with one or two exceptions, when the 
earthly counterpart or manifestation is not given. The 

59 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



breaking of the seven seals are the seven perfect and com- 
plete steps in the eviction of the usurper and the restora- 
tion of the redeemed inheritance, lost by sin, bought back 
by the blood of Christ, and restored by the right hand of 
divine power. 

I. The First Seal. 

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, 
and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the 
four beasts saying. Come and see. 

"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat 
on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and 
he went forth conquering, and to conquer." — 6:i, 2. 

The first seal was broken by the Lamb on the very 
throne of God. One of the Cherubim speaks with the 
voice of thunder calling the Apostle*s attention to the 
world wide scenes about to be enacted. 

It may seem incongruous to some to think of horses 
in heaven. Our mental view of the vast domain of God 
and its range of diversified life, a little of which we see on 
earth, is doubtless very contracted and imperfect. This 
is not the only instance where horses are mentioned in re- 
lation to the heavenly world. 

"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, 
that behold there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses 
of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up 
in a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he 
cried, My Father, my Father, the chariots of Israel, and 
the horsemen thereof." 

The crown represents power. The arrow or bow sug- 
gests that which is sharp and piercing. "But God shall 
shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be 
wounded." 

White signifies purity; there is presented here 
strength, fleetness, power, incisiveness and purity. A di- 
rect exposition is directly given "went forth conquering 

60 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



and to conquer." This shows that divine agency is still 
active for the salvation of man even in this period. 

This is a heavenly scene, the means used upon earth 
are not given but the results are stated as we shall see in 
the innumerable company who are saved in this time of 
tribulation, called by the prophet the "great and terrible 
day of the Lord." The Psalmist speaks of this same day, 
saying, *'Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy 
power." This rider is a representative of love and mercy, 
a Gospel message in this dark and terrible time for no ca- 
lamity follows his going forth as may be seen in each of 
the succeeding horsemen. Another reason for concluding 
that this first rider is a messenger of love and mercy is 
the fact as already stated, of the immense multitude of the 
saved in this period as shall be seen later, also that no 
account is given of his work, this is a time of judgment 
and as a consequence the calamities are recounted prima- 
rily. A final reason why it may be known that this rider 
is a messenger of salvation is because "he went forth con- 
quering and to conquer." This is a continuous work to be 
continued to the consummation of all things, showing the 
final triumph of Christ. 

2. The Second Seal. 

"And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the 
second beast saying. Come and see. 

"And there went out another horse that was red: and 
power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace 
from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and 
there was given unto him a great sword." — 6:3, 4. 

A horseman goes forth upon a red horse bearing "a 
great sword;" his special purpose was to take peace from 
the earth. The result is plainly stated, "they should kill 
one another." 

This would not seem to be so much a time of war but 

61 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

of general violence and blood-shed, murder, strife, hatred 
and revenge. 

There have been times when peace seemed largely taken 
from portions of the earth, but who can adequately de- 
scribe the condition of fratricidal strife here mentioned 
when peace shall be absent from all the earth. The time 
just preceding the flood was a time when the earth was 
filled with violence. Everything connected with this mes- 
senger betokens the greatness of this time of strife, a red 
horse, absence of peace, and a great sword. 

3. The Third Seal, 

"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the 
third beast say. Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a 
black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances 
in his hand. 

"And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts 
say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures 
of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and 
the wine." — 6:5, 6. 

The third seal is broken and a messenger goes forth on 

a black horse with a pair of balances in his hand, quoting 

the price of the necessaries of life, showing that it was a 

time of great famine. The oil and the fruit of the vine 

are graciously preserved by the direct interposition of God. 

It was a time of great judgments, but tempered with 

mercy. 

4. The Fourth Seal. 

"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the 
voice of the fourth beast, saying. Come and see. 

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name 
that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. 
And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the 
earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, 
and with the beasts of the earth.'' — 6:7, 8. 

These judgments are cumulative, each adds its weight 

of woe to the preceding as streams to a river that sweeps 

on with accumulating volume and velocity. This fourth 

messenger destroyed a fourth of the family of man then 

62 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



living. His name is indicated by his work. It is stated 
that hell followed him. This has been variously explained 
as a personification of the grave, which certainly would 
be true, but it means more. 

As hell stands for wickedness and all its consequent 
results of suffering, sorrow and remorse, we can well con- 
ceive that all the elements that go to make hell in at 
least a certain limited sense were present at this time more 
than any other period up to this time, causing hell upon 
earth, for hell and all that belongs to it is the result of 
sin and rebellion against God. The instrumentalities used 
in this time of dire destruction was the sword, famine, 
death understood to mean the plague, sometimes called 
black death, disease and wild beasts. War, famine, 
disease and wild animals have in ages past claimed their 
myriads of the human race. None of these are new instru- 
mentalities of destruction, but under the then present con- 
ditions will go forth in unusual power and sweep away 
one-quarter of the human family then living; however this 
mighty judgment will be comparatively light when com- 
pared to the great judgment flood in the days of Noah. 
We must keep in mind this fact, that the heavenly part 
of the transactions is invisible to the inhabitants of earth. 
To them these terrible conditions, described as the results 
of the going forth of the heavenly horsemen, have seemed 
to be but the abnormal activities of the ordinary course of 
the world. 

5. The Fifth Seal. 

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under 
the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word 
of God, and for the testimony which they held: 

"And they cried with a loud voice, saying. How long 
O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge 
our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 

"And white robes were given to every one of them; 
and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a 

63 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



little season, until their fellow servants also and their 
brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be 
fulfilled/'— 6:9-11. 

No heavenly messenger goes forth at the opening of 
this seal. This scene is located in heaven. The earthly 
part is inferential but very plain. The souls were seen 
beneath the altar in heaven, but the place of their martyr- 
dom was on earth. They had sealed their testimony to 
Christ by their blood, showing that in this dark and terri- 
ble time of hatred, war, murder, pestilence and famine, as 
portrayed by the opening of the four preceding seals, that 
the grace of God was sufficient to give them an abundant 
victory. This fact is clearly brought out, that it is not 
only a time of persecution, but that it is a time of extended 
persecution. That there are others to be added to their 
number who would travel the same heroic road of martyr- 
dom, "Their fellow servants also and their brethren that 
should be killed as they were.'* The method of this perse- 
cution is not revealed but the cause of martyrdom is 
clearly stated, "were slain for the word of God and the tes- 
timony which they held." 

The location of the souls seen by John is worthy of 
our consideration, "I saw under the altar the souls of them 
that were slain." There was a receptacle beneath the al- 
tar to receive the blood of the victim, "And he shall put 
some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is be- 
fore the Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the 
altar of the burnt offering, at the door of the tabernacle 
of the congregation." This receptacle beneath the altar we 
understand was called the well of life. 

These souls beneath heaven's altar were conscious and 
intelligent as is shown by their expressions, they remem- 
bered their former condition, and the apparent delay of 

64 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



justice, they make their supplication to God with perfect 
intelligence as to their past, present and future. They are 
seen, they are clothed, they are at rest, they are counseled 
as to their then present duty and encouraged by the promise 
of fulness of reward when the proper time should come, and 
all this after they had been slain on earth and before they 
had entered upon the full fruition of their inheritance. 
This clearly indicates a conscious existence between death 
and the resurrection. It is said of these souls that "white 
robes were given to every one of them." It may seem 
rather strange to speak of clothing disembodied spirits, 
but angels are pure immaterial spirits and they are clothed, 
"And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man 
sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; 
and they were affrighted." "But Mary stood without at 
the sepulchre weeping; and as she wept she stooped down 
and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in 
white, the one at the head and the other at the feet, where 
the body of Jesus had Iain." 

The prayer of these souls claims special notice: "They 
cried with a loud voice, saying, how long O Lord, holy 
and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on 
them that dwell on the earth?" There is in the cry of 
these souls a direct reference to the inheritance God has 
given to His people receiving illustration from an ancient 
institution of Israel which the Psalmist calls the inquisition 
of blood, "When he maketh inquisition for blood, he re- 
membereth them; he forgetteth not the cry of the humble." 

God made man in His own image, to shed man's blood 
polluted the land or inheritance of God's people. No satis- 
faction could be made for a wilful murder, but by the 
death of the murderer the inheritance of God's people was 
cleansed from its pollution of blood, if a person was killed 
and the murderer unknown, a special ceremony was pro- 

65 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



vided to cleanse the land and make it fit for the dwelling 
place of God and His people. A special reason is given 
against the shedding of blood as thotigh it were a crime 
against the person of God Himself; "who so sheddeth man's 
blood, by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of 
God made he man." "So ye shall not pollute the land 
wherein ye are; for blood, it defileth the land; and the 
land cannot be cleansed of blood that is shed therein, but 
by the blood of him that shed it. Defile not therefore the 
land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell; for the Lord 
dwelleth among the children of Israel." 

The cities of refuge — six in number, three on each side 
of Jordan were provided as places of safety to those who 
should kill by accident. "And this is the case of the slay- 
er, which shall flee thither, that he may live; who killeth 
his neighbor ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past." 
They were not allowed to receive a satisfaction for a 
wilful murder. 

"Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of 
a murderer, which is guilty of death, but he shall be surely 
put to death." There was a special ordinance provided for 
purifying the land in cases of unknown murder. 

"If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy 
God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be 
not known who hath slain him; then thy elders and thy 
judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the 
cities which are round about him that is slain: and it shall 
be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even 
the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which has not 
been wrought with and which hath not drawn in the yoke; 
and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto 
a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and 
shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley: and 
the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the 

66 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to 
bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall 
every controversy and every stroke be tried: and all the 
elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall 
wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the 
valley: and they shall answer and say. Our hands have not 
shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merci- 
ful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast re- 
deemed; and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Is- 
rael's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. So 
shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among 
you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight 
of the Lord." 

The prayer for these souls beneath the altar was the 
cry for the purification, redemption and restoration of the 
lost inheritance and is what we mean when we pray, **Thy 
kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." 
Our Savior gives special encouragement, in the answer of 
prayer, in almost the same words as the souls beneath the 
altar clothe their urgent petition, "And shall not God 
avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, 
although he bear long with them?" 

6. The Sixth Seal. 

"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and 
lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became 
black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 

"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a 
fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a 
mighty wind. 

"And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled 
together and every mountain and island were moved out 
of their places. 

"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the 
rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and 
every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in the 
dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 

"And said to the mountains and rocks. Fall on us and 

67 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and 
from the wrath of the Lamb: 

"For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall 
be able to stand? 

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on 
the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the 
earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth, nor on 
the sea, nor on any tree. 

"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, 
having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud 
voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the 
earth and the sea, 

"Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the 
trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their 
foreheads, 

"And I heard the number of them which were sealed: 
and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thou- 
sand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 

"Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. 
Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of 
the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of 
the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of 
the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 

"Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. 
Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the 
tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 

"Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. 
Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of 
the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no 
man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and peo- 
ples, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the 
Lamb clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 

"And cried with a loud voice saying. Salvation to our 
God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 

"And all the angels stood round about the throne, and 
about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the 
throne on their faces, and worshiped God. 

"Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and 
thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our 
God forever and ever. Amen. 

"And one of the elders answered saying unto me, What 
are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence 
came they? 

"And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said 

68 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, 
and have washed their robes and made them white in the 
blood of the lamb. 

"Therefore they are before the throne of God, and 
serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth 
on the throne shall dwell among them. 

''They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; 
neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 

''For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall 
feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of 
waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their 
eyes.'* — 6:12 to 7:17. 

The opening of the sixth seal shows a marked change 
from the five preceding ones. In the five preceding we 
have observed the mighty commotions, spiritually and phy- 
sically among the great family of man, hatred, violence, 
murder, war, famine, pestilence and martyrdom. 

But in this, the sixth seal, there is the mighty con- 
vulsions and fearful wonders of nature, we must bear in 
mind that in the fall of man that nature as well as indi- 
viduals fell under the curse and that redemption will be co- 
extensive with the fall. 

The shooting or falling stars, meteors, are not the plan- 
ets. The description given is like a fig tree overtaken by 
the cold of winter, "untimely,'* fiercely shaking the imma- 
ture figs from the tree. "The heavens" shall be rolled to- 
gether as a scroll — this rotary motion is indicative of the 
cyclone. 

What imagination could grasp the condition described 
by these calamities? The sun is dark, the moon a red and 
ominous ball, the earth enshrouded in terrible darkness in 
every part, the falling stars hissing through the air, the 
earthquake's mighty shock, the heavens above rolling to- 
gether with a great noise, while the lightning's vivid glare 
and destructive and consuming power destroys the cher- 
ished works of man, mountains and islands are so changed 
in location as to transform the configuration of the earth. 

69 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



So far as the account is given, man is miraculously pre- 
served, not one death in this mighty war of elemental na- 
ture. Observe the destruction of life under preceding con- 
ditions resulting from the opening of the seals, but here un- 
der conditions which would destroy the last vestige of the 
race of man from the earth he still lives. Notice that all grades 
and conditions of society from the highest to the lowest 
have alike escaped destruction, a graphic account of their 
fear and terror is given. "And the kings of the earth, and 
the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, 
and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free 
man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the 
mountains, and said to the rocks, Fall on us and hide us 
from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from 
the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath 
is come; and who shall be able to stand?'' The most mar- 
velous thing amidst these startling and cumulative calam- 
ities is their impenitence and hardness of heart, knowing 
that these manifestations of the "great day of his wrath'* 
was because of their wickedness they call to the mountains 
and rocks but will not seek refuge in the pardoning mercy 
of God. 

There was a temporary stay in the impending calam- 
ities. The object of this stay is given. "Till we have 
sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." The 
seal showed God's special ownership. 

Then follows the account of the sealing of the twelve 
thousand of each of the twelve tribes of Israel. This does 
not signify that these were all the saved in this time, but 
were the "first fruits" of each tribe saved in this great 
Israelitish revival. These, the first fruits occupy a place 
of peculiar honor as shall be seen in the proper place. 
Here comes in the fulfilment of all the wonderful proph- 

70 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



ecies and promises given to the ancient and covenant peo- 
ple of God's Israel. The apostle turns from the scene of 
this great Hebrew revival on earth to give the heavenly 
view of the triumph of saving grace, even in these awful 
times of calamity and judgment. "After this I beheld and 
lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all 
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood 
before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with 
white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a 
loud voice, saying. Salvation to our God which sitteth upon 
the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood 
round about the throne, and about the elders and the four 
beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and wor- 
shiped God, saying. Amen. Blessing, and glory, and wis- 
dom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might 
be unto our God forever and ever. Amen." This com- 
pany composed of "all nations, kindreds and people and 
tongues," bearing palms in their hands before the throne of 
God and the Lamb — were the people who had been saved 
in this period, opening with the breaking of the first seal, 
ushering in the great tribulation. John had seen the for- 
mer company of the redeemed at the close of the church 
period, viz., the resurrected just and the translated saints 
at the time of Christ's coming. Another fact distinguishing 
this company from the resurrected just and the translated 
saints of the church period is that these latter are servants 
and he will shepherdize them, but there is no intimation 
that they shall reign with him or in any wise assist as co- 
regents with the Infinite. They do not attain to the honor 
of the kingly and priestly office. 

They bear palms in their hands, the former company 
wear crowns. "And one of the elders answered, saying unto^ 
me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? and 
whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou know- 

71 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

est, and he said to me, these are they which came out of 
great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made 
them white in the blood of the Lamb." The account clearly 
states who these palm bearers are, they were gathered from 
all nations, that would include many Israelites who are not 
counted in the one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed 
ones of the twelve tribes, also that they were gathered 
out of the time of this tribulation. They shall be especial- 
ly shepherdized, "Therefore are they before the throne of 
God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he 
that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They 
shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither 
shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb 
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and 
shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God 
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." They are His 
flock, the special recipients of his gentlest care. The 
opening of the sixth seal brings to view the most treme- 
dous and s.tartling commotions of nature, the hardness of 
the impenitent heart, the orders and conditions of man 
socially not differing greatly from the present, a great and 
wonderful expression of divine favor to the ancient people 
Israel and their acceptance of Christ, the innumerable com- 
pany of the saved out of this time of great tribulation and 
the special relation they sustain to the good Shepherd, as 
His flock. How wonderful are the divine mercies. Calam- 
ities and afflictions as well as goodness and blessing, be- 
come messengers from God to invite the wanderer to the 
way of eternal life. 

7. The Seventh Seal. 

"And when he had opened the seventh seal there was 
silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 

"And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; 
and to them were given seven trumpets. 

72 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having 
a golden censer; and there was given unto him much in- 
cense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the 
saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 

''And the smoke of the incense which came with the 
prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the 
angel's hand. 

"And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire 
of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were 
voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake, 

"And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets 
prepared themselves to sound." — 8:1-6. 

The opening of the seventh seal is followed by an 
ominous silence, the hush before the mighty storm of great- 
er judgments of which the precedings have been but the 
introduction. The seven presence angels of God appear 
with trumpets. The trumpet occupied a large place in the 
ancient service of Israel. It gave signal for the moving 
of the camp in the wilderness, declared war, dismissed from, 
pursuit of the enemy, announced the new moons and fes- 
tivals, was blown over the sacrifices, proclaimed the year 
of Jubilee and the anointing of a king. The breaking of 
the seventh seal is divided into seven parts by the seven 
angels. 

That which holds in abeyance the proceedings of judg- 
ment under such conditions must be of great importance. 
This Priest Angel is Christ for he is here officiating as our 
High Priest in offering the "prayers of all the saints." He 
alone is the intercessor. 

Prayer is efficacious only as it comes before God in the 
merit of our crucified and risen Lord. The casting of the 
censer into the earth lighted by fire from the sacrificial 
altar calls forth at once the forerunners of judgment, 
"voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake." The 
sacrificial fire calls forth from the incense its latent odors 

73 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



and as the censer was cast into the earth it shows that the 
"prayer of all the saints," comprehended in "Thy king- 
dom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven," is 
about to be answered in the re-possession of the redeemed 
inheritance. This great work had been begun in the tre- 
mendous events following the opening of the seals, but 
farther steps must be taken to carry to consummation this 
ultimate purpose of redemption, which now proceeds under 
the opening of the seventh seal, in the seven afflictive and 
redemptive periods of the seven angelic trumpeters. 

"And the seven angels which had the trumpets prepared 
themselves to sound." These seven trumpets are the seven 
sub-divisions of the seventh seal. Some of the judgments 
following the sounding of the first trumpets are similar to 
the plagues of Egypt which were local while these are 
world wide. 

The plagues of Egypt were so directed as to be a direct 
warfare on their Panthenon, "Against all the gods of Egypt 
I will execute judgments." 

Notice some of these, serpents objects of worship, de- 
voured by Aaron's rod; river Nile one of their chief gods 
turned to an abomination; Heki the driver away of frogs, 
and Beelzebub the fly god helpless; Brute gods destroyed 
by the murrain; ashes from the furnace an altar of Typhon 
to whom human sacrifice was offered to keep evil from 
the land becomes the forerunner of boils and blains; Sera- 
pis, protector from locusts shown to be powerless; Isis 
and Osiris representing the sun and moon chief gods were 
completely discomfited in the three days and nights of 
supernatural darkness. These world wide afflictive judg- 
ments of the Infinite are so ordered as to strike in an as- 
scending scale that which impenitence and rebellion had 
exalted to take the place of God and saving grace. 

74 



BOOK OF REVELATION. 



THE SEVEN TRUMPETS. 

Chapters 87 to 14:5. 

1. The First Trumpet. 

'*The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and 
fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the 
earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all 
green grass was burnt up." — 8:7. 

There was in this judgment storm a supernatural ele- 
ment of terror, a rain of ice, fire and blood, cast upon the 
earth, indicative of great violence. It was directly destruc- 
tive only to vegetation, but who could measure the desola- 
tion wrought? The grasses with their seeds are to man 
and animal the most vitally important part of the great 
vegetable kingdom — as well as the most beautifying. Also 
a third part of all the trees were destroyed. Surely God's 
mercy was graciously mingled with judgment, in the mi- 
raculous preservation of man, under these circumstances. 

2. The Second Trumpet. 

"And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great 
mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the 
third part of the sea became blood; 

"And the third part of the creatures which were in the 
sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships 
were destroyed." — 8:8, 9. 

This was not a burning mountain but "as it were," that 
is in appearance it was like a burning mountain. Its effects 
were terrible, a third part of the sea became blood, a third 
part of the ships were destroyed, and a third part of all the 
animal life of the sea died; what part of the ocean was 
affected we are not told, the remaining two-thirds of the 
ocean's waters remained as they had ordinarily been. 

The turning of water into blood was one of the af- 
flictions visited upon Egypt, "and all the waters that were 

75 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

in the river were turned to blood, and the fish that was 
in the river died." 

The first trumpet brought destruction only on land, the 
second only upon the sea. These judgments are cumula- 
tive, each adding its weight of woe to the preceding one. 
A great loss of life must have resulted in the destruction 
of a third part of all the ships of the ocean. 

3. The Third Trumpet. 

*'And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star 
from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon 
the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of wa- 
ters; 

"And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and 
the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many 
men died of the waters because they were made bitter." — 
8:10, II. 

This was doubtless some great meteoric body falling 
upon the earth, of intense bitterness, and its gases or dust 
settling into the earth made a third part of all the waters 
upon the land so bitter as to cause the death of many. 
We know but little of the resources which God has stored 
in the immeasurable laboratories of nature. In general ap- 
pearance the burning mountain "as it were," and the fall- 
ing star would be much the same; one was upon the sea 
and the other upon the land. 

4. The Fourth Trumpet. 

"And the fourth trumpet sounded, and the third part 
of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and 
the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them 
was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, 
and the night likewise. 

"And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the 
midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice. Woe, woe, woe. 
to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other 
voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to 
sound.'' — 8:12, 13. 

The fact of cutting off the heavenly lights in these ter- 

76 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



rible times is a subject of frequent prophecy. The calam- 
ity would not be alone in the loss of light, but in the great 
climatic changes which would naturally follow. These 
first four angel-trumpeters call forth the power of judg- 
ment almost entirely upon the realm of nature. First, the 
hail and fire so destructive of vegetation. Second, the 
burning mountain "as it were" turning the third part of 
the sea to blood, and the consequent destruction of one- 
third of the ships, and the death of one-third of the ma- 
rine life of the sea. Third, the flaming star "as it were a 
lamp" embittering a third part of all the fountains and 
streams of the earth. Fourth, the cutting off of one- 
third of all natural light. Observe that these angel-trump- 
eters are seen only in heaven and the results of their 
sounding are experienced on earth. Man is affected by 
these judgments only in a secondary or indirect manner 
from the results of great changes in nature. But at this 
point there is an entire change, and the supernatural now 
appears upon earth, and directly affects man. This world is 
not a stranger to the supernatural for all its centuries have 
borne testimony to the powers of good and evil mirac- 
ulously displayed at some periods much more than others. 
In this period the miraculous both of good and evil are re- 
vealed as at no preceding time. 
5. The Fifth Trumpet. 

"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from 
heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of 
the bottomless pit. 

"And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a 
smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; 
and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the 
smoke of the pit. 

"And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the 
earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions 
of the earth have power. 

"And it was commanded them that they should not 
hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither 

77 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

any tree; but only those men who have not the seal of 
God in their foreheads.' 

"And to them it was given that they should not kill 
them, but that they should be tormented five months: and 
their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he 
striketh a man. 

"And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not 
find it and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from 
them. 

"And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses 
prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were 
crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 

"And they had hair as the hair of women, and their 
teeth were as the teeth of lions. 

"And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of 
iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of 
chariots of many horses running to battle. 

"And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were 
stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men 
five months. 

"And they had a king over them, which is the angel of 
the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is 
Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 

"One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes 
more hereafter." — 9:1-12. 

This star which falls from heaven is a fallen angel — the 
devil. That a person is here represented is beyond doubt, 
"and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.*' 
"And he opened the bottomless pit." In this transaction is 
shown the purpose of an active intelligent agent. The ap- 
pellation of a star being given to a person may be seen in 
many places in the Scriptures. "When the morning stars 
sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." 
In the first chapter of this book the pastors of the seven 
churches are represented as seven stars in the right hand 
of Christ. 

When the satanic hosts rebelled against God part were 
imprisoned in the bottomless pit or under world, while an- 
other part had the freedom of the earth. This transaction 
shows a large number liberated from this infernal prison 

78 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



for a time, five months. Jude speaks of their condition 
during the time of their detention, "And the angels which 
kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he 
hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the 
judgment of the great day." 

The angels were once on probation and in the exercise 
of their sovereign choice, some elected to rebel, while 
others remained loyal to God. The fallen angels or devils 
are of great number and diversity as to power, location 
and freedom. 

There is no history of the angelic world; our knowledge 
of them is altogether incidental, and appears only as in 
some way they touch the history or destiny of man. 

It may seem strange that angels could sin in heaven, 
but is no more so than that man should sin in Eden. All 
the universe was heaven for God created all things holy 
and perfect. All is heaven and heavenly now except that 
part defiled by sin. 

These infernal locusts were limited in their diabolical 
operations; they could not destroy vegetation of any kind. 
"And it was commanded them that they should not hurt 
the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any 
tree." This shows them to be superhuman beings, devils. 
Locusts naturally were destructive only of vegetation. 
These infernal locusts or demons were intelligent; they 
were subject to the command that had been given. They 
were able to afflict those who had not received the seal 
of God in their foreheads. 

It would seem at this particular time that most of the 
true children of God had either died, been martyred or 
translated. The innumerable company of palm bearers 
standing before the throne of God are of these judgment 
times. 

The locusts from the dark under world were not to 

79 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



kill but only to afflict. "And to them it was given that 
they should not kill them but that they be tormented five 
months." The nature of their affliction is given, "their tor- 
ment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh 
a man." It is said the" pain and anguish produced by a 
scorpion surpasses anything known to man, but it is sel- 
dom fatal. So terrible is this suffering, that "in those days 
shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall de- 
sire to die and death shall flee from them." 

The wicked at this time for five months shall possess 
an earthly immortality, death will be impossible to them. 
A description is given of these infernal Cherubim: "And 
the shape of the locusts were like unto horses prepared un- 
to battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like 
gold and their faces were as the faces of men and they 
had hair as the hair of woman, and their teeth were 
as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates as it 
were breastplates of iron and the sound of their wings 
was as the chariots of many horses running to battle. And 
they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings 
in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five 
months." 

These great living composite monstrosities belonged to^ 
the spiritual world and to the kingdom of darkness, beings 
of tremendous power and immeasurable malignity, but they 
were limited both in time and afflictive power. The time 
of some of the afflictive judgments is given but the time in- 
tervening between them is not given; because of this they 
seem to follow each other in rapid succession but in this 
they may vary greatly. 

They were the first visible manifestations of devils asi 
such to the world in general. Satanic power has been used 
generally in some covert way, like the serpent in Eden and 
human instrumentalities, but now all disguise is thrown/ 

80 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



aside and satanic forces appear in their own personalities. 
Man has now not to contend against the forces of nature 
or moral evils disguised, but with devils who seek openly 
to the limit of their power to turn this world into a literal 
hell. "And they had a king over them, which is the angel 
of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue 
is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apol- 
lyon," meaning destroyer. These diabolical beings with all 
their power are directed by Satan himself. Pandemonium 
will reign world wide. What fatal delusion holds the hu- 
man heart to the services of such a master, when loving 
favor has provided the richest blessings of heaven for the 
humble penitent? Who can measure the desolations and 
delusions of sin or the riches of saving grace? 

6. The Sixth Trumpet. 

"And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from 
the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 

"Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, 
Loose the four angels which are bound in the river Eu- 
phrates. 

"And the four angels were loosed, which were pre- 
pared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for 
to slay the third part of men. 

"And the number of the army of the horsemen were two 
hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of 
them. 

"And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that 
sat on th^m, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and 
brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads 
of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke 
and brimstone. 

"By these three was the third part of men killed, by the 
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued 
out of their mouths. 

"For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: 
for their tails were like unto serpents* and had heads, and 
with them do they hurt. 

"And the rest of the men which were not killed by 
these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, 
that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and 

8i 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood; which neither 
can see, nor hear, nor walk: 

"Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their 
sorceries nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. 

"And I saw another mighty angel come down from 
heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his 
head, and his face as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars 
of fire: 

"And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set 
his right foot upon the sea, and his left on the earth, 

"And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: 
and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their 
voices. 

"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, 
I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven 
saying unto me, Seal up those things which the thunders 
uttered, and write them not. 

"And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and 
upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, 

"And sware by him that liveth forever and ever, who 
created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the 
earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the 
things which are therein, that there should be time no 
longer: 

"But in the days pf the voice of the seventh angel, 
when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall 
be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the proph- 
ets. 

"And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto 
me again, and said. Go and take the little book which is 
open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the 
sea and upon the earth. 

"And I went unto the angel, and said unto him. Give 
me the little book. And he said unto me. Take it, and 
eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be 
in thy mouth sweet as honey. 

"And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and 
ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as 
soon as I had eaten it my belly was bitter. 

"And he said unto me. Thou must prophesy again be- 
fore many peoples, and nations, and tongues and kings. 

"And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and 
the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of 
God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 

"But the court which is without the temple leave out, 
and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and 

82 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two 
months. 

"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and 
they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three 
score days, clothed in sackcloth. 

"These are the two olive trees, and the two candle- 
sticks standing before the God of the earth. 

"And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out 
of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any 
man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed. 

"They shall have power to shut heaven, that it rain not 
in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters 
to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with all 
plagues as often as they will. 

"And when they shall have finished their testimony, the 
beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make 
war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 

"And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the 
great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, 
where also our Lord was crucified. 

"And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and 
nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, 
and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 

"And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over 
them and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; 
because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on 
the earth. 

"And after three days and a half the spirit of life from 
God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and 
great fear fell upon them which saw them. 

"And they hear a great voice from heaven saying unto 
them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven 
in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 

"And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and 
the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were 
slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were af- 
frighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 

"The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe 
Cometh quickly." — 9:13 to 11:14. 

The operations described under this trumpet are much 
more extensive and fatal in their character than the pre- 
ceding trumpets. It would seem that much more time is 
occupied in its startling events. "And the sixth angel 
sounded and I heard a voice from the four horns of the 

83 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



golden altar which is before God." We have here a 
heavenly scene followed by its corresponding results in the 
earth. There was a voice from the four horns of the al- 
tar. The blood of the sacrifice on the great day of the 
atonement was placed upon the horns of the altar. This 
clearly indicates the nature of the sin of the world at this 
particular time. It is stated that the voice came from the 
receptacle of the blood of the atonement. 

It is written concerning the blood of Abel, "thy brother's 
blood crieth unto me from the ground." Also Christ*s 
blood is said to speak, "and to the blood of sprinkling, that 
speaketh better than that of Abel." The guilty world has 
rejected the atoning sacrifice of Christ, the true and only 
divine provision made for its salvation. The very fact that 
divine provision has been made for the sins of the world 
will but bring the greater condemnation to those who re- 
ject it. "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they 
had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their 
sin." 

Light most pleasing to the healthy eye is most painful 
to the inflamed eye. So the greatest blessings despised, 
perverted and rejected call forth the greatest calamities. 
A voice comes from the horns of the altar, the receptacles 
of the blood of the atonement, the one and only source of 
divine blessing. From this source came the voice that 
commanded the liberation of the four angels who are the 
harbingers of the great calamities following, saying to the 
sixth angel which had the trumpet, loose the four angels 
which are bound in the river Euphrates. And the four 
angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and 
a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part 
of men." The river Euphrates is represented as the prison 
house where these judgment angels were bound; these were 
doubtless fallen angels and apparently directors of the 

84 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



great army of perdition. In the region of the Euphrates 
was where evil first made its advent into this world. Here 
was the garden of Eden, and the fall of man, the first mur- 
der, the great apostasy before the flood, the seat of idol- 
atry and the tower of Babel with its rebellion and disper- 
sion of the people. The means by which these four judg- 
ment angels accomplished in so short a time the destruc- 
tion of one-third of the earth's inhabitants of that time is 
given as a great diabolical cavalry of vast numbers. "And 
the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred 
thousand thousand; and I heard the number of them.'* 

In the preceding trumpet the locusts were from the bot- 
tomless pit and were evil spirits; fallen angels; devils. 
These horses and their riders are of the same source and 
with the same satanic disposition. With greater liberty 
and a more fatal commission they are nondescripts and 
deformity itself. All beauty, perfection and harmony is of 
God and all discord and deformity of every kind is directly 
or indirectly due to satanic agency. "And thus I saw the 
horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having 
breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone. And the 
heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of 
their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By 
these three were the third part of men killed, by the fire, 
and by the smoke, and by the brimstone which issued out 
of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and 
in their tails; for their tails were like unto serpents, and 
had heads, and with them they do hurt." There is no de- 
scription of the horsemen except their breastplates which 
were composed of fire, jacinth and brimstone. 

These horses were the direct agencies in this mighty 
destruction of one-third of the family of man then living, 
by fire, sufiFocation and poison. These tremendous and af- 
flictive agencies did not bring the impenitents to see their 

85 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



delusion and seek pardon and reconciliation with God, not 
even with the satanic agency visible in all the horrible de- 
formity and afflictive activities. Observe amidst it all the 
repressive hand of God, in pity and mercy, is still stretched 
out to man. This is shown when we consider the might of 
these satanic agencies and their limited range of opera- 
tions. Under the preceding trumpet, the locusts, satanic 
beings, were not permitted to destroy life, and in this 
trumpet the destruction was wrought by the horses, satanic 
beings, alone; while the horsemen, also satanic beings of 
doubtless greater power, were restrained from any direct 
participation in destructive force against man. **And the 
rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, 
yet repented not of the works of their hands that they 
should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver and 
brass, and stone, and of wood; which neither can see, nor 
hear, nor walk: neither repented they of their murders, 
nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their 
thefts." We have in this statement the moral and spiritual 
picture of society at the time of the sixth trumpet. By 
careful inspection nothing new will be found in the general 
expressions and overt acts of sin except a greater intensity. 
This will be a time of demon or devil worship, idolatry, 
murder, sorcery, fornication and robbery. These are all 
almost as old as the race of man on earth and are all in 
operation at the present time, not alone in the vast heathen 
world, but also under various masks among the most en- 
lightened and civilized portion of the earth. We are es- 
pecially warned that conspicuous among the fatal delusions 
is demon or devil worship. "Now the Spirit speaketh 
expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from 
the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of 
devils." 

Special warning was given to God's ancient people on 

86 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



this subject, forbidding them to consult 'Vith familiar 
spirits or a wizard or a necromancer." A familiar spirit 
was a spirit or demon that was subject to a person to be 
called up by the medium at his wish and consulted upon 
hidden subjects belonging to the spirit world. All this 
occult and mystical research into the shades of demonology 
was prohibited to God's people under the penalty of capital 
punishment. "And the soul that turneth after such as have 
familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after 
them I will even set my face against that soul, and will 
cut him off from among his people." To be a medium or 
operator with demons or familiar spirits was a capital 
crime. "A man, also a woman that hath a familiar spirit, 
or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death; they shall 
stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them." 

Demonology and idolatry have been intimately asso- 
ciated; evil spirits have been back of the outer forms of 
idolatry, and its real living force. Beyond the outward 
forms and material figures and images there has been a 
vivifying principle which is Satan and his confederates. 
Demonology which has ever been concealed to a greater 
or less degree, in the final consummation, shall stand forth 
without mask or disguise. 

There will be a great revival of idolatry as is clearly 
evidenced at the time of the sixth trumpet. The world has 
never been rescued from idolatry; its range is mighty to- 
day, not alone in the vast domains of heathenism, but in 
civilized nations. The ancient cults and philosophies are 
revived and draped in modern thought and Scriptural 
phraseology to continue their course of deception and ruin. 
The reception of the worship of the true and living God 
is the only preventive to save the individual or nations 
from idolatry under some of its forms, for there is no 
middle ground between the true and the false. Now 

87 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



comes a lull in the mighty storm of judgments. A divine 
one appears upon the devastated and judgment blasted 
earth. "And I saw another mighty angel come down from 
heaven, clothed with a white cloud and a rainbow was up- 
on his head and his face was as it were the sun, and his 
feet as pillars of fire.'* This is Christ. He appears in 
great glory, clothed with a cloud; the Shekinah glory, as the 
cloud over the tabernacle, and as when he ascended from 
Mount Olivet a cloud received him out of their sight. A 
raiijbow was about his head. This was seen to surround 
the throne, and points to the covenant that God made with 
the earth. The light of his countenance, "His face as it 
were the face of the sun," is spoken of in many places and 
is especially a characteristic of our Lord. On the Mount 
of Transfiguration where "His face did shine as the sun." 
When Saul met Him on the way to Damascus, "above the 
brightness of the sun," and in the opening vision of this 
book, "and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his 
strength." 

His posture in this resplendent glory is to be consid- 
ered. "And he had in his hand a little book open: and he 
set his right food upon the sea, and his left foot upon the 
earth." 

In section five attention was given to the exposition of 
the book sealed with seven seals, held in the right hand 
of the Infinite and the Lamb taking the book out of the 
hand of God and proceeding to open the seven seals. 
There were two books as shown in Jeremiah, one sealed, 
the other open. Here the mighty Redeemer shows the 
open book in His right hand. This open book is the Holy 
Scriptures in which is set forth the inheritance as given to 
man of God, its loss by sin and the possessing of this 
glorious inheritance by the power of evil. The price paid 
by Christ the Redeemer, the eviction of evil, and the re- 

88 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



stored inheritance in all its original blessedness. All other 
things in the Scriptures are incidental to this one central 
truth — the great redemption in Christ. The greatest thing 
of all the past was Christ's first coming to pay the price of 
redemption, and the greatest thing in the future will be 
Christ's coming to take possession of the lost but redeemed 
inheritance. The very fact that He stands with one foot 
upon the sea and one upon the land with this open book 
in His right hand indicates that there must be some vital 
relation between His position at this time and the book in 
His hand. His standing upon the sea and the land is in 
itself indicative of His taking possession of the inheritance. 
**Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread 
shall be yours." He issues a great proclamation, "And 
cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth; and when 
he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when 
the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was 
about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying 
unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders 
uttered, and write them not." The mighty Redeemer issues 
a royal proclamation. The lion of the tribe of Judah is 
here speaking; what this proclamation was we are not 
told. It calls forth a response from the seven thunders. 
This response was understandable to John for he was 
about to write, but was forbidden. Neither the royal proc- 
lamation or the response to it by the seven thunders has 
been given. It seems to have been something especially 
for those then living. "And the angel which I saw stand 
upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to 
heaven, and sware by him that liveth forever and ever, 
who created heaven and the things that therein are, and 
the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea and 
the things which are therein, that there should be time no 
longer." The saints in all the Christian centuries since the 

89 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



day of His ascension from Olivet have been longing for 
His return; for incidental to His coming will be the resur- 
rection of the righteous, the translation of the living saints, 
the overthrow and casting out of Satan and all his allies 
from the earth, the restoration of this world to its paradi- 
siacal state, the restoration of the redeemed humanity to 
fulfill the great purpose of the Infinite in their creation, 
and the glorification of God and all the redeemed forever 
as a result of the price paid in the redeeming blood of 
Calvary's priceless sacrifice. The coming of Christ is not 
a single isolated event, but comprehends all things essential 
to the divine purpose, as was His first coming. 

"But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when 
he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be fin- 
ished as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.'* 
The statement is here made that notwithstanding the fact 
that Christ has taken formal possession of the redeemed 
inheritance there were yet great steps to be taken in the 
final consummation of this work and that it would be con- 
summated in the following or seventh angel's trumpet or 
voice. 

This seventh angel's trumpet or voice is subdivided into 
the seven vials. The divine manifestations under this com- 
ing trumpet are so filled with the marvelous, miraculous 
and direct expressions of divine power, that it is called the 
"finishing" of the "mystery of God." 

This great and final triumph of redemption has been 
the burden and theme of the prophets, "as he hath declared 
to his servants the prophets." "And the voice which I 
heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go, 
and take the little book which is open in the hand of the 
angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 
And I went unto the angel and said unto him, Give me the 
little book, and he said unto me, Take it and eat it up: 

90 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy 
mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of 
the angel's hand, and ate it up: and it was in my mouth 
sweet as honey; and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly 
was bitter." As already observed this book is the Holy 
Scriptures or the open book of redemption. The command 
to take the book out of the hand of the angel and eat it 
has a parallel in the prophet. "Moreover he said unto me, 
Son of man, eat that thou findeth; eat this roll, and go 
speak unto the house of Israel." "Then did I eat it, and 
it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he 
said unto me, Son of man, get thee unto the house of 
Israel, and speak with my words unto them.'' So the 
spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in 
bitterness in the heat of my spirit, but the hand of the 
Lord was strong upon me." The roll means a book. The 
ancients wrote their books on long narrow strips and 
rolled them together. 

The result of eating the book is clearly given. "Sweet 
as honey in his mouth," and following bitterness. The 
Psalmist speaks of the sweetness of God's Word, "More to 
be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold: 
sweeter also than honey and the honey comb." God's word 
is exceedingly sweet and precious in its reception, but in its 
digested and assimilated truths forming the life of the 
godly, how often it has brought the bitterness of persecu- 
tion, ostracism, banishment and martyrdom. Receiving the 
Word of God shows our great need, our weakness, imper- 
fections, unworthiness and helplessness; bitter conviction 
and corresponding sweetness go hand in hand in the re- 
ception of the divine Word. 

"And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again be- 
fore many people and nations and tongues and kings." 
This is direct and positive and can apply to no person 

91 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



except the Apostle John and is an extension of his original 
commission in a work yet future to him. 

There is a remarkable statement made by our Savior 
concerning the Apostle John, which is very significant in 
the light of the great work to be accomplished by him 
at this time. "Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry 
till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then 
went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that dis- 
ciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He 
shall not die; but if I will that he tarry till I come, what 
is that to thee?" 

It would seem that the Apostle John should remain un- 
til the coming of the Lord; at that time, he would take up 
in a very special manner his original commission to the 
nations of the world, and lead a great and glorious restora- 
tion of the ancient people Israel, and like Zerubbabel and 
Ezra restore the ancient sanctuary at Jerusalem. We must 
remember that at this particular period there were living 
upon the earth the 144,000 sealed Israelites that had been 
gathered out of the twelve tribes, twelve thousand of each 
tribe, "first fruits" of the great Israelitish revival. There 
will be doubtless great multitudes of true Christians both 
of Jews and Gentiles then living upon the earth. As to the 
Apostle John remaining until the coming of Christ we 
know not how or under what conditions; it is peculiar and 
significant that Jesus Himself suggests this and it was so 
understood by the disciples. The work here described as 
performed by John was in exact keeping with his apostol- 
ical office. 

Taking these things together there is no obscurity as 
to the facts, the Scriptures are their own expositors. "And 
there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel 
stood, saying. Rise and measure the temple of God, and 
the altar and them that worship therein. But the court 

92 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not, 
for it is given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall 
they tread under foot forty and two months." The instru- 
ment of measurement was of a heavenly design, a rule from 
heaven. To measure indicates a restoration. When God 
was moved to restore Israel from their seventy years of 
exile in Babylon, He took Ezekiel in vision to the holy 
city Jerusalem and asked him to observe and make known 
the divine measurement of the holy sanctuary which had 
lain waste for years. "And he brought me thither, and 
behold there was a man, whose appearance was like the 
appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a 
measuring reed and he stood in the gate. And he said 
unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear 
with thine ears, and set thy heart upon all that I shall 
show thee; for to the intent that I might show them unto* 
thee art thou brought thither; declare all that thou seest 
unto the house of Israel." The "reed like unto a rod" is 
a standard of measurement in its combination not men- 
tioned elsewhere in the Scriptures. 

It is a standard from heaven. "There was given to me 
a reed like unto a rod." The rod at once suggests the 
thought of the instrumentality of divine power, as the rod 
was the material instrumentality in the performance of all 
the mighty wonders wrought in the deliverance of Israel 
from their bondage in Egypt. "And thou shalt take this 
rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs." This 
was a measurement as to the material and divine service 
restored, amended and re-established by the miraculous 
power of God, the efficient agent being the Apostle John 
in his apostolical office. That this measurement has to do 
with spiritual matters as well as material is set forth in the 
fact that not only the temple and the altar are to be 
measured but the worshipers also. 

93 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



The power given to the apostles who were led and 
inspired by the Holy Ghost would be abundantly adequate 
for this. "Verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind 
on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall 
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven/* This power was 
given only to the apostles. An illustration of the powers 
of the apostolical office is given in the decision rendered 
in the apostolical council held in Jerusalem and recorded in 
Acts, in which by the exercise of this power they relieve 
the entire Gentile world from obedience to the ceremonial 
law, but retain it for the Jews. "For it seemed good to 
the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater bur- 
den than these necessary things: that ye abstain from meats 
offered to idols, and from blood and from things strangled, 
and from fornication." The apostles had no successors; 
they needed none, for by inspiration they fully established 
the cause of Christ on the earth. To provide for this spe- 
cial order or dispensation for the ancient people Is- 
rael, the Apostle John tarried in some unknown way or 
returned from heaven, his commission not having been 
completed, and in his apostolical office provided the needed 
medium of divine communication and authority for the 
restoration of the divine service of the restored sanctuary 
with such changes as divine wisdom might demand. This 
restoration was entirely Jewish as the court of the Gentiles 
was left out of the measurements, that is, the Gentiles re- 
mained the same in their moral and spiritual status as they 
had been, whereas there was some change of the Jewish 
standard. Jerusalem is the only city called the holy city 
in the Scriptures. This shows that the prophecies con- 
cerning the return of Israel and the restoration of the an- 
cient services at the city of Jerusalem will be literally ful- 
filled. 

A dark shadow falls upon the Gentile masses of this 

94 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



time, in that the use they make of the gracious favors of 
God is to persecute and despoil the holy city Jerusalem for 
three years and a half. "And I will give pov^er unto my 
two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two 
hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These 
are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing 
before the God of the earth." These two witnesses are 
among the most wonderful personages. There were two 
of them. They were clothed in sackcloth, indicative of 
great humility and self-denial, also showing the shadow of 
coming calamity. They were prophets or witnesses of the 
living God in the midst of great wickedness. They pos- 
sessed the divine credentials to their prophetic commis- 
sion, viz., the power to work miracles. 

The description here given refers rather to their work 
and their qualification for it than to the description of 
their personality. 

"These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks 
standing before the God of the earth." In the Holy Scrip- 
tures God's children are frequently compared to olive 
trees and lights. "But I am like a green olive tree in the 
house of God." "Ye are the light of the world." This is 
indicative of their divine anointing and spiritual illumina- 
tion. These two remarkable witnesses may be Enoch and 
Elijah. These are the only two persons so far as we know 
who ascended bodily to heaven without going through the 
gateway of death and the resurrection — except the right- 
eous living who were caught up when Christ came. 

At the coming of Christ we have seen that large num- 
bers have been translated. "Changed in the twinkling of 
an eye," but they became the same as the resurrected 
righteous and consequently immortal whereas these two 
witnesses were not immortal for they were killed. Also 
observe that it is said of them that they stand "before the 

95 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



God of the earth," that is that they have a special official 
position in the immediate presence of God, for to stand in 
the presence of the monarch was to occupy a special po- 
sition in the sovereign's favor. Both Enoch and Elijah 
were judgment prophets. "And Enoch also, the seventh from 
Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh 
with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon 
all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of 
all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly com- 
mitted, and all their ungodly speeches which ungodly sin- 
ners have spoken against him." As to Elijah, almost his 
entire career was that of a judgment prophet. There is a 
promise of the return of Elijah. "Behold I will send you 
Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and 
dreadful day of the Lord." 

It was a doctrine among the Jews that Elijah should 
return and apparently another prophet unnamed. "And 
this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and 
Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And 
he confessed and denied not; but confessed I am not the 
Christ. And they asked him. What then? Art thou Elias? 
And he said, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he 
answered, No." "And they asked him and said unto him, 
Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor 
Elias, neither that prophet?" This inquiry coming from 
the source it did shows this thought, that Elijah would 
return, to have been a well founded belief. Also, at the 
crucifixion the same belief is expressed. "Some of them 
that stood there, when they heard that, said. This man call- 
eth for Elias." "The rest said. Let be, let us see whether 
Elias will come to save him." There is also a sense in 
which John the Baptist was Elias but this in no wise 
destroys the great fact of the literal personal coming of 
Elijah in the judgment times. 

96 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



The angel in announcing the birth of John the Baptist 
gives an outlined description of his life and work and in 
this says, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and 
power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the 
children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; 
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." 

Our Savior speaks of him in various places as Elias, 
This is in perfect harmony with the statement of the angeL 
This double relation in which Elijah is to come as a re- 
storer, and that he had come in the general tenor of his- 
work and spirit in John the Baptist is clearly brought out 
in the conversation of the disciples after coming down 
from the Mount of Transfiguration where three of them 
had seen Elijah. "And his disciples asked him, saying. 
Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? 
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias shall truly 
first come, and restore all things." John the Baptist 
had been dead for some time, and this restoration was a 
future event. "And if any man will hurt them, fire pro- 
ceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; 
and if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be 
killed." 

This was their protection from their enemies, as fire 
went forth from the presence of the Lord in the wilder- 
ness, and destroyed his enemies. Prophets have called fire 
from heaven, but in this case it proceeded directly from 
themselves; perhaps by their words they could envelope 
their enemies in flames. 

"These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in 
the days of their prophecy, and have power over waters 
to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all 
plagues as often as they will." They possessed tremen- 
dous miraculous power, combining the power of Elijah in 

97 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



shutting the heavens in the days of Ahab and Jezebel and 
the power of Moses in smiting idolatrous and oppressive 
Egypt. 

"And when they shall have finished their testimony, 
the beast, that is the antichrist, that ascendeth out of the 
bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall 
overcome them, and kill them." Their work having been 
accomplished they are no longer invulnerable but are 
overcome by Satan, and in some manner not made known 
put to death. "And their dead bodies shall lie in the 
street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom 
and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.*' This 
shows two things, first that the place of their martyrdom 
will be in the city of Jerusalem, for there our Lord was 
crucified. Second that the moral and spiritual condition of 
that city had become exceedingly corrupt. Evidently the 
labors of the two mighty witnesses sustained by unlimited 
miraculous power had not brought about any general 
change for the betterment of the great mass of the people 
at that time, being a Gentile dominion and oppression of 
the holy city Jerusalem. "And they of the people, and kin- 
dreds, and tongues, and nations shall see their dead bodies 
three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bod- 
ies to be put in graves." This shows Jerusalem to be at this 
time as it has been in ages past, a great metropolitan cen- 
ter, a sort of reversed Babel, not of dispersion, but con- 
fusion and diversity concentrated. 

To be denied sepulchre has ever been one of the high- 
est marks of contempt. "And they that dwell upon the 
earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall 
send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tor- 
mented them that dwelt upon the earth." Not alone the 
city was affected by the mighty and faithful labor of these 
two witnesses, but there was a world wide agitation caused 

98 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



by their testimonies and marvelous expression of mirac- 
ulous power. Their death causes great and perhaps almost 
universal rejoicing. The real work of God is a disturbing 
element in the domains of sin, it ever has been and ever 
will be. "And after three days and a half the spirit of 
life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their 
feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them." 
Their ministry had been three years and one-half. So 
the length of time they were under the power and domin- 
ion of death was exactly proportioned to one day for each 
year. Their resurrection from the dead, like the resurrec- 
tion of every person, is a direct act of Almighty power. 
Considering the character of their ministry, and the spirit 
that heaped insult upon them even in death, there was just 
grounds for alarm, on the part of these hardened impeni- 
tents at their resurrection. "And they heard a great voice 
from heaven saying unto them. Come up hither. And they 
ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld 
them." God's mercy seems to be inexhaustible to grant 
unto these wicked persons this added and crowning miracle 
of a visible resurrection and ascension into glory. "And 
the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth 
part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of 
men seven thousand; and the remnant were affrighted and 
gave glory to the God of heaven." 

Transgression brings with it retribution as cause does 
effect. All transgression must have its penalty. These 
last displays of divine power produced an impression, and 
wrung from these giant sinners at least temporary recog- 
nition of the sovereignty of God, like the magicians in 
Egypt when they beheld the miracles of Jehovah declared, 
"This is the finger of God." "The second woe is past, and 
behold, the third woe cometh quickly." The sixth trumpet 
called forth a mighty array of spiritual manifestations, 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



prominent being the locusts from the bottomless pit with 
the infernal cavalry, demons, with their tormenting and de- 
structive powers, the hardness of the impenitent and their 
substitution of the occult sciences and idolatry as substi- 
tutes for the service of the living God. Especially pre- 
eminent is the descent from heaven of the angel, Christ, 
who stands with one foot on the sea and the other on the 
land and swears that time shall be no more, assuming for- 
mal possession of the redeemed inheritance. God's two 
wonderful witnesses showing the divine mercy and love 
still active in seeking to snatch brands from the eternal 
burnings. Active steps are now taken to dispossess the 
enemy and repossess in all its fulness the redeemed in- 
heritance by our all conquering and triumphant Savior; 
whereas Satan and all his confederate powers contend 
mightily for the retention of his and their usurped posses- 
sions. That the Apostle John and the prophets Enoch and 
Elijah should have to do with things pertaining to the 
great cause of God in the future should not seem strange 
when as a matter of fact we shall all, who are saved, have 
much to do with the great cause of God in the times to 
come, for we shall reign with Christ, not in figure but in 
fact. 

This is but the glimmering dawn of eternal existence, 
the preparation that precedes the great work of fixed char- 
acter, re-enforced by God or strengthened by satanic power, 
for the great and lasting activities of eternity. Man's ac- 
tivities and interests are not limited to this brief life. 
Moses and Elias had not lost their interest in the redemp- 
tion of the world although they had left its visible scenes 
for many centuries; when they met Christ on the mount of 
Transfiguration, His sacrifice for the redemption of the 
world was their theme. 



100 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



7. The Seventh Trumpet. 

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great 
voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are 
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and 
he shall reign forever and ever." — 11:15. 

All the marvelous manifestations of divine and satanic 
powers recorded in the Holy Scriptures do not equal those 
of the "days of the seventh trumpet." Not in all the 
fables and poetic fancy of the ages can be seen such an 
array of sublimity, grandeur and wonder. "Great voice in 
heaven" shows the profound interest of the heavenly world 
in the events about to take place; the voice of "many wa- 
ters," "singing new song," voice of the flying angel an- 
nouncing the fall of Babylon and declaring the blessedness 
of the dead that die in the Lord, the angel calling for the 
thrusting in of the sickle to reap the harvest of the earth, 
commanding the pouring out of the vials of wrath, a voice 
out of the temple, voices saying Alleluia, and the voice of 
a great multitude that no man could number. The one 
theme of all this vocal harmony was "the kingdoms of this 
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his 
Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever." The sainted 
host in glory grasp with all the power of their being the 
grand consummation of the divine purpose. They see and 
realize redemption, not alone in personal victory and joy 
of soul, but in the complete restoration of the lost inherit- 
ance bought with the precious blood of Christ, the re- 
deemed earth and the redeemed race. "The kingdoms of 
this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord." Not in 
figure, not in symbol, but in living fact. This glorious 
anticipation was so near that it was realized as a present 
possession. 



lOI 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET IS DIVIDED INTO 
SEVEN PARTS. 

Chapter ii:6 to 14:5. 

I. The First Part of the Seventh Trumpet.— -The Voice 
of the Eldership and the Result of the Opening of Heaven's 
Temple and Judgments on Earth. 

"And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God 
on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, 

"Saying, we give thee thanks, 6 Lord God Almighty, 
which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast 
taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 

"And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, 
and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and 
that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the 
prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, 
small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy 
the earth. 

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and 
there was seen in his temple the ark of his testimony: and 
there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an 
earthquake, and great hail." — 11:16-19. 

The four and twenty elders fall from their thrones and 
worship God in the same blessed note of triumph, "because 
thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." 
The true Sovereign is about to ascend the throne of univer- 
sal dominion; this is anticipated, but the sounding of this 
seventh trumpet ushers in the epoch whose final result is 
completion of redemption in all its fulness. The celestial 
rejoicing and its subject in some way, not described, is 
communicated to the earth, "and the nations were angry." 
They were not prepared for the divine Sovereignty, for 
they were actuated by principles of an opposite character 
that rebelled now as they ever had since moved by satanic 
power. There is not now, nor has there ever been a 
Christian nation, neither will there be until He exercises 
His great power and becomes universal Sovereign in fact 
as well as in name. Then the kingdoms of this world will 

10^ 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



"become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ." The 
scriptural pictures given of the governments of the world 
as well as the national emblems of to-day are largely wild 
beasts and birds of prey noted for their savage and cruel 
natures. In keeping with this sentiment., the nations of 
the present are giving pre-eminent attention to the devising 
of engines of destruction and training experts in the 
science and art of devastation and war. 

Observe also that a large part of the revenues raised 
for the maintenance of government are derived from 
liquors, tobacco, opium and such like injurious and demor- 
alizing sources. The sale of indulgences, licenses and per- 
mits fosters every sin and crime against God and man and 
legalizes the slaughter of the innocent with all the barbaric 
indifference of the ancient offering of the innocents to 
Molech in the valley of Hinnom. The servants of God in 
every age have sought to overcome and eliminate evil 
from government, and have done much to make conditions 
better. This is every Christian's duty to the utmost limit 
of his power and opportunity. 

The great and final judgment day was now drawing 
nearer with all its eternal results; "thy wrath is come," 
the day of mercy for the then impenitents was about to 
close. The real work of the great and final judgment af- 
fecting all the race of man, both good and bad, is "that 
they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give re- 
ward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, 
and them that fear thy name small and great." Salvation 
is a gift, "for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of 
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." There 
is a reward for every act performed for Christ. Man can- 
not be saved by works, but v\^hen saved by grace and hav- 
ing become a true child of God by faith in Jesus Christ, 
there will be a specific reward for every act performed for 

103 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



Christ. "For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to 
drink in my name, becatise ye belong to Christ, verily I 
say unto you, he shall not lose his reward." 

The general judgment will have to do with the distri- 
bution of rewards, "thou shouldest give reward unto thy 
servants." This will be equally true concerning the wicked. 
They will be rewarded according to their works, but the 
fact of being lost is due to their deliberate choice in re- 
jecting Christ, the only Savior. There will be an added 
penalty for every specific sin for we shall be "judged ac- 
cording to the deeds done in the body." 

It is significantly added to this subject of judgment that 
thou "shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." 
Since the beginning of the sixth chapter attention has been 
given to the judgment upon the quick or living under seals 
and trumpets. This continues ufitil the wicked and all the 
results of transgression are eliminated from the fair in- 
heritance of God, and the redeemed. "And the temple of 
God was opened in heaven." All redemption is associated 
with sacrifice. The opening of the temple in heaven was 
the harbinger of divine judgment upon the quick or living: 
lightnings, voices, hail and an earthquake. These as in the 
preceding instances are the forerunners of mighty and 
startling displays of divine power. 

2. The Second Part of the Seventh Trumpet.— The Sun 
Clad Woman. 

"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a wom- 
an clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and 
upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 

"And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and 
pained to be delivered. 

"And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and 
behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten 
horns, and seven crowns upon his head. 

"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, 
and did cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood be- 

104 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



fore the woman who was ready to be delivered, for to 
devour her child as soon as it was born. 

*'And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule 
all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught 
up unto God, and to his throne. 

**And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she 
hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her 
there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." — 
12:1-6. 

These two wonders, signs or symbols, represent the 
cause of God and the cause of Satan. The sun-clad woman 
the cause of God, the dragon the cause of Satan. These 
both appear in the heavens. 

**And there appeared a great wonder in heaven." This 
is a very significant statement for two reasons. First, 
this wonder, sign, or symbol makes plain the fact that this 
is a symbolical matter. Second, by specifying this as a 
symbol or sign, not to be taken literally, it is clearly im- 
plied that when things are not so designated they are to be 
taken literally. 

The location was "in heaven," "clothed with the sun," 
the most powerful, useful and resplendent object of nature. 
She is a queen with twelve stars as crown jewels. She 
triumphs over darkness for the empress of night is under 
her feet. She is about to become a mother. This woman 
represents the visible cause of God in this world. The 
cause of God in the world is frequently compared to a 
woman, "Say ye to the daughter of Zion, behold thy sal- 
vation cometh." "I have espoused you to one husband, 
that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 
"For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her 
children." "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which 
is the mother of us all." The cause of God in this dark 
world is the most glorious thing in it. Its light is the light 
of heaven; with all its imperfections and failures it is 
the one cause that lights up the dense spiritual and intel- 

105 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



lectual darkness of a fallen world, triumphing over the 
powers of evil. Its crown of glory and authority are the 
twelve chosen and divinely commissioned apostles of 
Christ. 

This the visible cause of God contained and nourished 
within itself the invisible spiritual people of God. The vis- 
ible cause of God has ever expended all its labors and 
efforts to bring forth and produce the true spiritual cause 
and people of God. That is, the spiritual church is the 
child of the nominal or visible cause of Christ. Another 
wonder or sign appears in heaven. "And there appeared 
another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, 
having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon 
his heads." This dragon represented the devil. "The 
dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan." 
Red stands for hatred, revenge, and murder, as seen in 
the red horse of the second seal. 

The visible cause of God is represented by the sun clad 
woman, and the visible cause of Satan in this symbolical 
monstrosity, the dragon. The many heads and crowns in- 
dicate the perfections and power of satanic wickedness, 
and the governmental instrumentality through which he 
operates to destroy the visible cause of God from the 
earth. There have been persecutions by mob violence, but 
this will be one of a sweeping nature carried on by many 
governments all controlled by Satan. 

The stars drawn from heaven by the tail of the dragon, 
like the tail of a comet, and cast down to the earth, show 
the identity of the dragon and Satan as the leader in the 
primal rebellion in heaven, and the vast number of angels 
who followed the arch conspirator in his rebellion against 
God. 

The purpose of the dragon was to destroy the child, 

1 06 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



or spiritual cause of God. "For to devour the child as soon 
as it was born." This has ever been the purpose of Satan. 
The direct and virulent attack has ever been upon the spir- 
itual cause first, and the outer forms of divine service af- 
ter. In fact there have been bloody persecutions against 
the spiritual cause of God, while the nominal body of be- 
lievers have almost entirely escaped. 

"And she brought forth a child who was to rule all na- 
tions with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to 
God, and to his throne." This has been considered before; 
how, at the coming of Christ, the resurrected just, and 
translated saints, should be caught up to meet the Lord, 
leaving the nominal, and much of the visible cause of 
Christ in the world. These redeemed and saved ones 
should be co-workers with Christ in the redeemed and re- 
stored inheritance, which is in the process of repossession, 
*'for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy 
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and 
nation and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; 
dnd we shall reign on the earth." Being caught up to the 
throne of God is indicative of power, for the throne stands 
for the dominion and sovereignty of God. The saved who 
are represented by the man child, that is the resurrected 
just and translated saints, are expressly declared to pos- 
sess the regal authority, "who was to rule all nations with 
a rod of iron," that is a strong and enduring reign." Sa- 
tan has ever failed and ever will fail in seeking the defeat 
of the true spiritual cause of God. "And the woman fled 
into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of 
God, that they feed her there a thousand two hundred 
and three score days." This shows a time of bitter perse- 
cution in which even the nominal cause of God in the 
earth was driven into seclusion, and was only maintained 
even there by divine interposition and asylum. The length 

107 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

of this particular time of oppression was three and one- 
half years. 

3. The Third Part of the Seventh Trumpet.— The War 
in Heaven. 

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels 
fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his 
angels, 

"And prevailed not; neither was their place found any- 
more in heaven. 

"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, 
called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole 
world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were 
cast out with him. 

"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is 
come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our 
God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our 
brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God 
day and night." — 12:7-10. 

The place of this battle is plainly stated. The vast 
realms of the heavenly world as well as this combat and 
its participitants are largely beyond our range of knowl- 
edge. The results of the battle are expressed in the spe- 
cial activities of Satan and his angels on earth. Satan and 
his hosts, having been defeated and evicted from a certain 
domain of the heavenly realm, make a final stand on earth, 
and renew the contest with great wrath and fury, only to 
meet a like fate in the end. There is no more inconsist- 
ency in the thought of Satan and his hosts in some way 
invading a province of the heavenly world than in his 
invasion of the earth, for in the beginning, the earth and 
all it possessed was as holy and pure as heaven, for God 
was equally the Creator of both. 

This war is waged between angelic hosts fallen and un- 
fallen: "Michael and his angels," and the "dragon and his 
angels." Satan and his hosts are "cast out into the earth." 
The eviction of evil is the triumph of right. "Now is come 
salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and 

108 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

the power of his Christ." This is just what we pray for 
when we say, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done in 
earth as it is in heaven." 

In the dragon or serpent, Satan incarnated himself in 
the garden of Eden in the first temptation; this shows 
the identity of Satan as the leader of the rebellion, both 
in heaven and in earth. 

4. The Fourth Part of the Seventh Trumpet.— The In- 
strumentality of Triumph. 

''And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and 
by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their 
lives unto the death. 

''Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in 
them. 

"Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea! 
for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, 
because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." — 
12:11, 12. 

The instrumentality of this triumph over Satan is the 
merits of the atonement, "They overcame him by the blood 
of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." The 
blood cleansed them from all sin, and brought to them the 
baptism of the Holy Ghost, giving the witnessing power. 
Heaven rejoices in its present and prospective triumphs 
whereas the earth is to pass through great calamities di- 
rectly instigated by satanic wrath. 

5. The Fifth Part of the Seventh Trumpet.— Satanic 
Persecution of the Cause of Christ. 

"And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the 
earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the 
man child. 

"And to the woman were given two wings of a great 
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her 
place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half 
a time, from the face of the serpent. 

"And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood 

109 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried 
away of the flood. 

"And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened 
her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon 
cast out of his mouth. 

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went 
to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep 
the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Je- 
sus Christ." — 12:13-17. 

Satan's exile into the earth is fraught with great calam- 
ity to the earth, "having great wrath, because he knoweth 
that he hath but a short time.'' Because of this wrath 
Satan persecutes "the woman which brought forth the man 
child, "that is, the visible nominal cause of God in the 
earth. 

Divine assistance is given: "To the woman were given 
two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the 
wilderness." The continuation of the cause of God in this 
world is the living miracle of the ages, protected, defended 
and sustained, "from the face of the serpent." Satan can 
drive it into obscurity but he cannot destroy it. This op- 
position is carried on with great energy, the dragon sends 
forth a flood of water out of his mouth to destroy her, 
but the earth helped the woman, by opening and swallow- 
ing up this Satanic flood. Here follows a very significant 
statement: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, 
and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which 
keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus 
Christ." This shows that the woman, or visible cause of 
God had other children beside the man child "caught up 
unto God and his throne." The man child, that is the 
invisible spiritual cause of God, was taken to glory at the 
time of Christ's coming: however, all that followed belongs 
with that coming as an inseparable part of it, culminating 
in the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth 
righteousness. When the resurrected just, and the trans- 
no 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



lated saints are taken to heaven they shall be co-rulers \vith 
Christ and possess the regal and sacerdotal offices forever. 
At the time the righteous are taken from the earth the 
visible cause remains, that is the nominal church and the 
Holy Scriptures with all the accumulated knowledge and 
appliances belonging to the same. The visible cause or sun 
clad woman though greatly persecuted shall continue 
throughout all the time of the opening of the seals ac- 
complishing a glorious mission in the saving of multitudes 
during these awful tribulations and judgments. The saved 
of the tribulation and judgment times are the ones called 
"the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments 
of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Prom- 
inent among them are the souls beneath the altar. The 
one hundred and forty-four thousand "first fruits/' the 
sealed ones of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the "great 
multitude which no man could number of all nations, and 
kindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne 
and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms 
in thir hands." God's visible cause will not be fruitless 
in the earth while it remains, for God hath said the "gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it." 

The following shows how the dragon carried on his war 
against the remnant of the seed of the sun clad woman 
both in method and manner. 

6. The Sixth Part of the Seventh Trumpet.— The Anti- 
Christ. 

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast 
rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, 
and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the 
name of blasphemy. 

"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, 
and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as 
the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, 
and his seat, and great authority. 

Ill 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to 
death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world 
wondered after the beast. 

"And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto 
the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is 
like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? 

"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great 
things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to 
continue forty and two months. 

"And he opened his mouth and blasphemed against God. 
to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that 
dwell in heaven. 

"And it was given unto him to make war with the 
saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him 
over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 

"And all that dwelleth in the earth shall worship him, 
whose names are not written in the book of life of the 
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 

"If any man have an ear, let him hear. 

"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: 
he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the 
sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the 
earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as 
a dragon. 

"And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast 
before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell 
therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was 
healed. 

"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire 
come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 

"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the 
means of those miracles which he had power to do in the 
sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, 
that they should make an image to the beast, which had 
the wound by a sword, and did live. 

"And he had power to give life unto the image of the 
beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and 
cause that as many as would not worship the image of the 
beast should be killed. 

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and 
poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, 
or in their foreheads: 

"And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had 
the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his 
name. 



112 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding 
count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a 
man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six/' 
—13:1-18. 

The word beast is used to designate the Anti-Christ and 
the false prophet. This is the same word used in chapter 
4:6-9, describing the cherubim or living ones so myste- 
riously and intimately related to God and man in redemp- 
tion. The same word being used in relation to those 
two notable persons who receive a satanic resuscitation or 
resurrection from perdition shows them to be considered 
as a kind of infernal cherubim of iniquity, intimately asso- 
ciated with Satan and the impenitent, as a monstrous and 
blasphemous caricature and substitute of the holy and 
true, and whose chief end is to defeat the gracious purposes 
of redemption. 

This gives Satan's specific method of warfare against the 
cause of God at this time. 

There will be a universal world empire, and Satan will 
resurrect or resuscitate some person from the pit or under- 
world whom he will fill with himself to a remarkable de- 
gree. This person will be the Anti-Christ, and will be the 
chief ruler of the universal world empire. 

Satan will also resurrect or resuscitate another person 
from perdition or the underworld whom he will fill with 
himself in a marvelous measure. He will be the false 
prophet, the "Pontifex Maxinius," or prime minister of the 
satanic religion and government. 

The false prophet commanded the people to make an 
image of the Anti-Christ which he commanded to live 
and speak and compelled all the people of the earth to 
worship this living image under penalty of death, institut- 
ing a new religion and sweeping away all other worships 
except that represented by the sun clad woman, which rep- 
resents the religion of Christ. 

113 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



Satanic power here reaches its consummation and high- 
est manifestation. The apostle declares that the Anti- 
Christ rose up out of the sea. This indicates some kind 
of a Satanic resurrection, a bringing up of some one who 
had gone down into the bottomless pit from whence the in- 
fernal locusts came upon earth with their king Apollyon. 
The seven heads show completion and perfection of satanic 
possession, for each of these heads had their part in the 
name of blasphemy. The ten horns show destructive in- 
strumentality and rulership, and ten is the world number, 
combined they indicate a complete world power. This beast 
or personage is a counterpart of the great red dragon, 
Satan, who cast to the earth and perdition a large number 
of the angelic host in the primal rebellion against God, 
sought the destruction of the man child or spiritual cause 
of God, and when thwarted in this drove the sun clad 
woman, the visible cause of God in this world, into obscur- 
ity in the wilderness, and is now making war on the rem- 
nant of her seed, or the people that had become Chris- 
tians in this particular time of the judgment upon the 
quick or living. That this similarity may be the clearer, 
observe the description of the dragon, "great red dragon 
having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon 
his heads." This beast or infernal cherubim the Anti- 
Christ was a nondescript: body like a leopard; feet like a 
bear, and mouth like a lion. Satan cannot create, but he 
can imitate and caricature. This horrible monstrosity is a ^ 
person resurrected or brought out of perdition, in which 
Satan becomes incarnate. "The dragon gave him his power 
and his seat, and great authority." Satan's purpose is to 
boldly pass himself for the Infinite, and to this end he 
caricatures the Trinity in the great work of redemption, 
the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. 

In all the ages it has been the effort of Satan to sub- 

114 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



stitute something to take the place of the living and true 
God, as is seen in the immense and immeasurable branches 
of idolatry. To take the place of God and receive divine 
worship, and to so caricature the divine plan of redemption 
through Jesus Christ by substituting a spurious atonement 
is the great consummation, the harvested results of satanic 
power and blasphemy culminating in the Anti-Christ. Ob- 
serve Satan calls forth this **son of perdition" from the 
unseen world. So Christ was from the spirit world. Je- 
sus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and 
earth." The dragon gives his power and throne and great 
authority to the Anti-Christ. 

Jesus died on Calvary for the sins of the world, and 
was raised to life again. So the Anti-Christ suffered death 
and had a resurrection to life. "And I saw one of his 
heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound 
was healed." As a result of this satanic restoration or 
resurrection to life "all the world wondered after the 
beast." "And they worshiped the dragon which gave pow- 
er unto the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, 
"Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war 
with him?" Satan is directly worshiped, and the Anti- 
Christ receives the same divine service. This divine serv- 
ice is exactly what is required in the service of the living 
God. "That all men should honor the Son, even as they 
honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth 
not the Father which hath sent him." 

The Anti-Christ or the beast is Satan incarnate. As God 
was manifest in the flesh, so Satan is manifest in the Anti- 
Christ or beast. It is written that "great is the mystery of 
godliness." "God was manifest in the flesh, justified in 
the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, be- 
lieved on in the world, received up into glory." 

This gives the outline of redemption through the in- 

115 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



carnation of Christ, the true and living way to God. Satan 
establishes a counterfeit way that leads through the Anti- 
Christ or beast to the worship of himself. "Let no man 
deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, 
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin 
be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and ex- 
alteth himself above all that is called God," 

There are two mysteries, one the mystery of godliness 
in the incarnation of Christ. The other in the incarnation 
of Satan in the Anti-Christ or beast. This is the mystery 
of iniquity, or in other words the religion of Satan, "the 
mystery of iniquity doth already work." 

Satan in a sense incarnated himself in the serpent in 
Eden, and spiritually possessed many as is shown in the 
Holy Scriptures, culminating in his incarnation in the beast 
or Anti-Christ. The primal rebellion in heaven led by Sa- 
tan was that he might possess the throne of God and his 
worship. Every sin in fact has this as its fundamental 
principle. That Satan desires above all things divine 
worship is shown in the substitutes, idols and such like ob- 
jects that receive divine worship as gods, and as he is the 
author of all these false ways, it is indirectly his wor- 
ship. In his climax in the temptation of Christ in the 
wilderness, he said, "All these things will I give thee, if 
thou wilt fall down and worship me." Also that he shall 
"exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is 
worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, 
shewing himself that he is God." 

This shows that in the time of the Anti-Christ he shall 
sit for a time in the restored temple of God at Jerusalem 
and receive divine worship. The coming of the Anti-Christ 
shall be supernatural. "Even him whose coming is after 
the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying 
wonders." 

Ii6 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



It need not be a matter of great surprise, that the 
wicked of the earth shall be brought to openly worship 
the Anti-Christ under the then marvelous manifestations of 
Satanic power, when such a large portion of the family of 
man now living renders divine worship to human beings. 

Almost every false religion requires divine honors ren- 
dered to human beings under some modified form. 

The Anti-Christ imitates the divine Savior in his man- 
ner of speech. Jesus spake with a wonderful power. 
"Never man spake like this man.'* So the Anti-Christ 
"speaketh great things," only his wonderful speech shall be 
the speech of blasphemy. The length of the ministry of 
the Anti-Christ is given as three years and one-half, about 
the same length of time as the generally estimated time 
of the public ministry of Jesus. The Anti-Christ was most 
severe against the most holy objects, God, His sanctuary, 
and His people. He was triumphant at least nominally for 
the time being against the cause of God, subduing all the 
world. '^And it was given unto him to make war with the 
saints, and to overcome them." However, not to their 
spiritual destruction, but as a great world power in which 
conquests are included, '*all kindred, and tongues, and na- 
tions." 

Observe the parallel, Christ was to be the true ruler 
of the redeemed and restored earth, "the kingdoms of 
this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his 
Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever." Christ is to 
possess universal dominion, so the Anti-Christ or beast has 
a universal dominion. The dominion of Anti-Christ shall 
be patterned after the dominion of Christ for it shall em- 
brace both material and spiritual sovereignty. "And all 
that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names 
are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain 
from the foundation of the world." This gives the one 

117 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



class not subject to the Anti-Christ's spiritual sovereignty, 
those in Christ, the true Savior, the Lamb "slain from the 
foundation of the world/' 

Here is shown the patience and faith of the saints. 
They looked beyond the then present conditions, and saw 
the eternal overthrow of all evil, and the ushering in of 
endless righteousness. 

The Anti-Christ becomes the head of a world power or 
empire, and of the Satanic worship. The Anti-Christ imi- 
tates Christ in a supernatural origin, death and resurrec- 
tion, establishing a universal empire, inaugurating a new 
system of worship, and declaring himself to be God, con 
firming his pretensions by miracles wrought by satanic 
supernatural power. 

"The beast that thou sawest was and is not, and shall 
ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition." 

This statement shows that the Anti-Christ was a person 
who had lived and is not, that is went down into death and 
perdition, ascended out of the bottomless pit, that is was 
brought up or restored from thence, and would be finally 
cast into perdition again. 

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the 
earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake 
as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the 
first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them 
which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose 
deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, 
so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the 
earth in the sight of men. And deceiveth them that dwell 
on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had 
power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that 
dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to 
the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did 
live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the 

ii8 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and 
cause that as many as would not worship the image of the 
beast should be killed. 

''And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and 
poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand,, 
or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, 
save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or 
the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that 
hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it 
is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred 
threescore and six." 

This second beast is the false prophet. His coming up 
out of the land shows him to be recalled from the dark 
abode of lost spirits by a resuscitation or resurrection from 
the dead by satanic power. 

The description of this second beast, or infernal cherubim, 
the false prophet, as to personality is very limited, two horns 
as a lamb, evidently indicative of gentleness in use of af- 
flictive power, but had the dragon voice showing that the 
actuating principle of the false prophet was the dragon, 
Satan. Observe that the second beast, or false prophet 
takes the same relation to the Anti-Christ as far as may 
be, of the Holy Spirit to the true Christ, for when Jesus 
went to glory he poured out the Holy Spirit upon His serv- 
ants, and the Holy Spirit became the executive and direct- 
ing power in the true cause of God in the earth. ''But the 
Comforter wdiich is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will 
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring 
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said 
unto you." "But ye shall receive power after that the 
Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses 
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Sa- - 
maria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." 

All the authority of the prophets and apostles was 

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EXPOSITION OF THE 

due directly to the fact that they were filled with the Holy 
Ghost and led by inspiration both in the delivery of the 
divine message and its confirmation in the working of 
miracles. The false prophet or beast "exerciseth all the 
power of the first beast before him," that is the Anti-Christ, 
he also leads in the false worship as its chief executive, 
"causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to wor- 
ship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed." The 
false prophet confirmed his mission by performing great 
miracles, "doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come 
down from heaven on the earth in sight of men." The 
false prophet establishes a new religion, causing them that 
dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast, that 
is the Anti-Christ. To this image he gives life and the 
power of speech and also the power to kill those who 
would not worship the image, and he caused all except the 
saved to receive his "mark in their right hand and in their 
foreheads," as if they were branded slaves. He also con- 
trolled the mercantile world, for none without his mark 
or name of the beast, or the number of his name, could 
either buy or sell. The Anti-Christ is here shown as the 
world's governmental, religious and commercial power. 
The number of the beast or Anti-Christ's name is 666; this 
is said to be the "number of a man." This cabalistic or 
mystical number is declared to be "wisdom." This book 
was written in Greek, each letter had a value as a num- 
eral and the sum of certain letters would make 666. These 
letters evidently give the earthly name of the Anti-Christ, 
thus identifying him with his former earth life. Satan is 
the actuating power in this trinity of wonder and delusion. 
There is a visible trinity presented to the world. The Anti- 
Christ, the false prophet, and the living, speaking image. 
The system of worship established was the direct dragon 
or devil worship, the deification of a resuscitated human be- 

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BOOK OF REVELATION 



ing, the Anti-Christ, a most hideous monstrosity. We have 
here all the known forms of false worship in their various 
modifications, devil worship, human worship, animal wor- 
ship, and image worship. There is nothing new in these 
forms, for they are all nearly as old as the race of man, 
but there is more of satanic power revealed in the clear 
purpose of satanic ambition shown, that is to receive the 
worship and occupy the place of the Infinite God. 

All sin and all systems of evil point in this one direction 
and will culminate in the Anti-Christ and his reign. All sin 
is religion, the religion of the devil. Every evil is cumula- 
tive with all evil and is a stepping stone to the final result 
of the Anti-Christ and his empire. Every act of right- 
eousness on the part of the disciples of Jesus is cumulative 
with all righteousness in bringing Christ to the throne of 
universal dominion. 

7. The Seventh Part of the Seventh Trumpet.— The 
Lamb on Mount Sion. 

"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount 
Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, 
having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 

"And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of 
many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I 
heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 

"And they sung as it were a new song before the 
throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no 
man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and 
four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 

"These are they which were not defiled with women; 
for they are virgins. These are they which follow the 
Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from 
among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the 
Lamb. 

"And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are 
without fault before the throne of God." — 14:1-5. 

The Lamb which is Christ our Savior has been seen 



121 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



standing "in the midst of the throne" in heaven, but here 
he stands on Mount Sion and with him are the 144,000 
sealed ones, the first fruits of the great Israelitish revival. 
This shows Christ in literal possession of the city and 
throne of David, the fulfilment of so many prophecies. 
Mount Sion was the place of the palace and throne of the 
king, the seat of the theocratic government. The 144,000 
had the Father's name written in their foreheads, this was 
doubtless the seal or mark spoken of. The high priest 
bore the name of Jehovah on a gold band on his forehead. 

The 144,000 ''sing as it were a new song" before God 
which none other could sing. A reason is given for this 
privilege that is, ''they were not defiled with women for 
they are virgins." This has no reference to celibacy, but 
points to the fact that they had not been defiled by the 
false worship and idolatry of the Anti-Christ, they h^d 
been true to Christ. Defilement, adultery and whoredom, 
are extensively employed in the prophecies and in this 
book to indicate false and idolatrous worship. 

These 144,000 who stand with Christ on Mount Sion, are 
a special select company of saved Israelities: "They are 
without fault before the throne of God," "first fruits unto 
God and the Lamb." This indicates a great ingathering of 
the Jews, for the first fruits were made a special offering 
to God in gratitude and thanksgiving for the abundant 
harvest. "The first of the first fruits of thy land shalt thou 
bring into the house of the Lord thy God." The first 
ripened fruits were made a thank offering unto God, these 
144,000 were the first gathered fruits to God out of this 
great harvest of ingathering of Israel at this particular 
time and had in some way a very intimate part with 
Christ in the government; also in the holy restored service; 
for Christ is here represented as the Lamb, indicating in 
a special sense his sacrifice for sin. 



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BOOK OF REVELATION 



THE SEVEN ANGELS. 

Chapter 14:6-20. 
I. The First Angel. 

''And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, 
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that 
dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and 
tongue, and people, 

"Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory 
to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship 
him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the foun- 
tains of waters." — 14:6, 7. 

God's mercy even in judgment times overflows with 
loving favor to a lost world. The visible cause of God, 
the sun clad woman, has been driven into the wilderness of 
obscurity by the dragon Satan. Ancient Israel have their 
own royal King, the Son of David, Christ upon the throne. 
The ancient service has been restored under apostolical 
direction, there has been a great restoration, reformation 
and regeneration of the ancient people of the covenant Is- 
rael, but the great Gentile world is enslaved and corrupted 
by the dragon Satan through the medium of his trinity 
the Anti-Christ, false prophet, and speaking image. Christ 
said that if the multitude should keep silent at the time 
of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem that the stones would 
immediately cry out. "I tell you that if these should 
hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." 
An angel of God takes the skies for his pulpit, the ever- 
lasting gospel as his theme, and the benighted peoples of 
the earth for his congregation, "every nation and kindred, 
and tongue and people." What a preacher! What a mes- 
sage! What a God of love and mercy even in judgment 
times to surmount every obstacle with a call to the way 
of eternal life! 



123 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

2. The Second Angel. 

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is 
fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all na- 
tions drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." — 
14:8. 

The first angel-preacher of the "everlasting gospel" is 
followed by another bearing a prediction of judgment 
against Babylon. Babylon stands as the capital and me- 
tropolis of the world empire of the Anti-Christ in govern- 
ment, commerce and religion. 

3. The Third Angel. 

"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud 
voice. If any man worship the beast and his image, and 
receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, 
which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his 
indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brim- 
stone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the pres- 
ence of the Lamb: 

"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever 
and ever: and they had no rest day nor night, who wor- 
ship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the 
mark of his name. 

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that 
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me. 
Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from 
henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from 
their labors; and their works do follow them." — 14:9-13. 

A third angel follows, announcing the sentence of the 
finally impenitent in its most frightful and terrible conse- 
quences, not symbolical consequences, but literal and real 
as the joys and triumphs of heaven. There is added to 
this dark sentence the triumph and blessedness of the 
saints, and so terrible are the condition of the time then 
present, the time of the Anti-Christ, it was blessed to have 
passed over to the spirit world even though the millennium 
was not far in the future. "Blessed are the dead which die 

124 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



in the Lord.'* There is an added word of consolation or 
compensation given, that is that even in these awful condi- 
tions of the Anti-Christ's kingdom the life work of the 
saints was not lost, but still bore fruit in blessings upon 
the most hardened sinners the world has ever known. 
There is an indestructible power in a holy life that extends 
beyond the immediate sphere of the individual, "their works 
do follow them." *'Ye are the light of the world," "Ye are 
the salt of the earth" are as true in these terrible times of 
judgment as at any other. 

4. The Fourth Angel. 

"And I looked, and beheld a white cloud, and upon the 
cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on his 
head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." — 
14:14. 

This is Christ; here called an angel; in the following 
verse He is spoken of as "another angel." The work He 
performs fully identifies Him as the divine Savior. 

This harvest scene has in it somewhat of symbol as is 
clearly intimated in the following account of the seven 
vials of wrath, where it is written: "And I saw another 
sign." Our Savior has Himself explained this by His par- 
able of the tares. "He answered and said unto them, He 
that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is 
the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; 
but the tares are the children of the wicked one. The 
enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the 
end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As 
therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so 
shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall 
send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his 
kingdom all things that do offend, and them which do in- 
iquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there 
shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the 

125 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their 
Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." 

This harvest scene shows Christ sitting upon a white 
cloud, wearing a golden crown, and holding a sharp sickle 
in his hand, the great harvester. The tares and wheat have 
occupied the field through the fleeting centuries. An angel 
appears making the announcement "for the harvest of the 
earth is ripe." The great harvester thrusts in his sickle 
and gathers the harvest of the earth. This harvest was 
represented by the wheat harvest, or the early harvest. 
Notwithstanding all the terrible judgments already visited 
upon sin its greatest and most incisive judgments are yet 
to come. 

5. The Fifth Angel. 

"And another came out of the temple, crying with a 
loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy 
sickle and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; 
for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

"And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the 
earth and the earth was reaped." — 14:15, 16. 

This angel came out of the restored temple on earth. 
The temple with all it signified in type and shadow spoke 
of pardon, atonement and reconciliation. Its voice was the 
voice of mercy and the delay of the sharp sweep of the 
sickle of divine justice. The time had now come when 
mercies, delays and probations should give place to judg- 
ments. The time had come because the harvest of the 
earth was ripe. Sin had been planted, had flourished, 
grown and ripened in the earth's passing centuries, until 
at this time its cumulative powers had reached maturity 
of iniquity in the Anti-Christ and the then present condi- 
tion of the great majority of the peoples of the world. 
There was always a remnant of the faithful. This first 

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BOOK OF REVELATION 



harvest of divine judgment on the living will be minutely 
set forth in the pouring out of the first six vials of the 
wrath of God. 

6. The Sixth Angel. 

"And another angel came out of the temple which is in 
heaven, he also having a sharp sickle." — 14:17. 

This gives a description of a second harvest. The sim- 
ilarity of this angel to the one sitting upon a white cloud, 
which was Christ, shows them to be the same person. 
The tabernacle and the temple on earth were patterned af- 
ter the heavenly. "For Christ is not entered into the 
holy place made by hands, which are the figures of the 
true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence 
of God for us." 

The angel sitting on the white cloud, and the one com- 
ing out of the temple, each having a sharp sickle, each reap 
a harvest with a sharp sickle. They both do the same 
kind of work with the same instrument. These two are 
one person; that is Christ who does the same work on 
two different harvests. 

7. The Seventh Angel. 

"And another angel came out from the altar, which had 
power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that 
had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, 
and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her 
grapes are fully ripe. 

"And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and 
gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great 
wine press of the wrath of God. 

"And the winepress was trodden without the city, and 
blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse 
bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred fur- 
longs." — 14:18-20. 

Another angel comes forth calling to the harvester, 
Christ, to reap the vintage or later harvest of the "clusters 

127 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



of the vine of the earth; for the grapes are fully ripe/' 
These are cast into the **great winepress of the wrath of 
God." This winepress is said to be located "without the 
city*' and as a result this gathered vintage gave forth its 
product, "blood came out of the winepress, even unto the 
horse bridles." This harvest scene represents the closing 
of the then present order. Christ is the reaper. The two 
angels came out of the temple. One calls for the reaping 
of the wheat harvest, which is the Anti-Christ's army gath- 
ered about the restored city of Jerusalem, where the 
restored Israel with Christ the true heir reigns on the 
throne of David. This brings on the great battle of Ar- 
mageddon in which the mighty army of the Anti-Christ 
will be totally destroyed. 

The other angel calls for the later or grape harvest. 
This shows a double harvest. This is the vintage or final 
harvest, grape harvest, it is "the vine of the earth," the 
false vine, the Anti-Christ, and is minutely described under 
the seventh vial. 

THE SEVEN HEAVENLY MANIFESTATIONS. 

Chapter 15 to 16:1. 

I. The Seven Angels with the Seven Last Plagues. 

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvel- 
ous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in 
them is filled up the wrath of God." — 15:1. 

This is said to be another sign, that is, a similitude, 
something like a parable. The statement that this is an- 
other sign shows clearly that the preceding was of the 
same parabolical nature. The seven angels in their symbol- 
ism represent the various agencies in operation and the 
final consummation of the then present order or epoch in 

1^8 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



the great double harvest, which was yet to come, and was 
completed in the judgments of the seven vials of the wrath 
of God upon the then living. This sign is composed of 
the seven heavenly rrianifestations. This the first is seven 
angels with seven vessels representing in figure to contain 
the wrath of God about to be poured out upon the kingdom 
of the Anti-Christ who was now ruling in the earth with 
an iron hand, and a satanic heart. These plagues directly 
refer to the mighty plagues of Egypt by which God 
wrested His enslaved people from the power of Pharaoh,, 
and is now about to rescue his servants from a much 
greater power to oppress and enslave. 

2. The Victors. ^ 

"And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: 
and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and 
over his image^ and over his mark, and over the number 
of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps 
of God. 

''And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, 
and the song of the Lamb, saying. Great and marvelous 
are thy works. Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy 
ways, thou King of saints. 

*'Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy 
name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come 
and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made man- 
ifest."— 15:2-4. 

This part of the sign points so directly to the deliver- 
ance of Israel in crossing the sea in triumph and their 
song of victory that we need scarcely stop to consider it. 

As God saved His people out of Egypt by His power 
and grace so even out of the mighty kingdom of the Anti- 
Christ there will be a great company of saved ones full of 
praise and adoration. This company of exultant saints and 
their Psalm of praise anticipates the final triumph of 
Christ, notwithstanding the then dark reign of sin, for 

129 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



they declare "all nations shall come and worship, before 
thee/' 

3. The Seven Sacerdotal and Regal Angels. 

"And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of 
the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 

"And the seven angels came out of the temple, having 
the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and 
having their breasts girded with golden girdles." — 15:5, 6. 

The tabernacle on earth was a copy of the tabernacle in 
heaven, "who serve unto the example and shadow of heav- 
enly things." The temple built by Solomon, restored by 
Zerubbabel, beautified, enriched and enlarged by innumer- 
able hands was the reproduction on a grander scale of the 
tabernacle constructed by Moses in the wilderness. The 
chief thing in the holy of holies in the tabernacle was the 
ark of the testimony, containing the tables of stone, called 
the testimony, the ten commandments, the pot of manna, 
the rod of God and in a receptacle in the side of the ark 
the entire written law of God given to Moses. 

This refers directly to the tabernacle with all its sym 
holism of divine justice and redemption. Their robes and 
position in the holy of holies shows the priesthood, the 
golden girdle their royalty. These heavenly messengers go 
forth from the very fountain of law and redemption, and 
are of the greatest dignity and power. 

4. The Cherubim. 

"And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels 
seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth 
forever and ever. — 15:7. 

The beast as before shown is a living one, a cherubim. 
The cherubim was placed on the top of the ark in which 
was the law of God, and upon the top of the ark between 
the cherubim was the mercy seat upon which the blood 

130 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



of the atonement was sprinkled. The guilty and wicked 
world had rejected the atoning blood of Christ, and the 
cherubim gave the seven angels the seven full vials, show- 
ing in symbol the complete wrath of God which would be vis- 
ited upon the kingdom of the Anti-Christ, the full judgment 
of the broken law. The climax of the world's greatest 
guilt is its rejection of redemption, so richly provided in 
Jesus Christ. 

5. The Cloud of Glory. 

"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory 
of God, and from his power." — 15:8. 

. At the dedication of the tabernacle and temple the holy . 
Shekinah or visible presence of God filled the sanctuary. 
This was a time of infinite power when God would take 
possession of His own. Although sin had taken posses- 
sion in the earth yet the time was near when God should 
fill it with his dedicatory glory and power, and make this 
sin-cursed, ruined and defiled earth again a part of his holy 
and glorious sanctuary. 

6. Man Excluded from the Temple. 

"And no man was able to enter into the temple, till 
the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." — 15:8. 

No person could enter to minister in the divine services. 
All sacrificial atonement and mediatorial services were for 
the time being suspended. This was a time of God's glory 
and power. No intercession, mediation or supplication 
could now be ofYered for the delay of judgment. "No 
man" not even the incarnate Christ until the complete 
judgment then determined upon should be fulfilled. Re- 
demption had restrained the full fierce stroke of divine jus- 
tice for ages. v : 

131 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



7. The Great Voice Out of the Temple. 

"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to 
the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of 
the wrath of God upon the earth." — 16:1. 

As God spoke so many times to His ancient people from 
the cloud of glory as it rested upon the tabernacle, so He 
speaks from His visible glory from the holy precincts of 
the temple with that majesty of voice that thrills the 
very fountain of being. So terrible was this voice in the 
giving of the law on Sinai that the people besought Moses 
that their guilty ears might not hear it again. How much 
more terrible it must be in judgment. What matchless 
imagery is here woven together to give to us a view of 
that which was about to take place, the plagues of Egypt, 
crossing the sea, the victors in songs of praise, the taber- 
nacle, the priesthood, the dedication of the tabernacle and 
temple, and the voice of God from the midst of His vis- 
ible glory. These two signs, the seven angels, and this 
seven of heavenly manifestations are heavenly scenes, 
showing the heavenly side or view of the spiritual condi- 
tions of that epoch, and the consequent mercies and judg- 
ments of God upon sin in its greatest power and expression 
upon earth and the steps that lead up to its final overthrow 
and the restoration of the lost inheritance to man in the 
fulness of Gospel redemption. 

THE SEVEN VIALS OF WRATH. 

Chapter 16:2-17. 
I. The First Vial. 

"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the 
earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon 
the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them 
which worshiped his image." — 16:2. 

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BOOK OF REVELATION 



This first judgment under the vials of wrath was 
world wide, reaching as far as the kingdom of the Anti- 
Christ extended. It was a great bodily affliction similar 
to the plague of Egypt when Moses took of the dust of the 
furnace and cast it upon the wings of the wind "and it 
became a boil breaking forth with blains." The prophetic 
judgment pronounced by Moses against the impenitent re- 
jectors of Jehovah was, "The Lord will smite thee in the 
knees, and in the legs and with a sore botch that cannot 
be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy 
head." The world's activities would be paralyzed under 
these conditions. The excruciating agony and unrest would 
be beyond measure. 

2. The Second Vial. 

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the 
sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every 
living soul died in the sea." — 16:3. 

What a terrific judgment, turning the seas from a source 
of gracious blessing into the most loathsome and putrescent 
substance. This causes the death of all of man upon the 
seas, and the destruction of all animal life in its vast wa- 
ters. Who would be able to adequately describe the con- 
ditions along its shores, the vapors exhaled enveloping the 
chief cities of the world and floating far inland, poisoning 
all the air from this immeasurable ocean of death. Under 
the second trumpet a third part of the seas were turned to 
blood, but judgments against evil are cumulative; now no 
part is left to bless the world, but all "becomes a curse and 
calamity. 

3. The Third Vial. 

"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers 
and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 



133 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



''And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art 
righteous O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, be- 
cause thou hast judged thus. 

"For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, 
and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are 
worthy. 

"And I heard another out of the altar say even so, Lord 
God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." — 
16:4-7. 

This vial transforms all the waters upon the lands of 
the earth into blood. What in ancient times came to 
Egypt, now becomes world wide. 

An angel proclaims the justice of this judgment. From 
the earliest times to the then present hour the earth had 
drunk copiously the blood of martyrs. Unjust and vi- 
cious wars have filled the ages with their blood stained his- 
tories. Individuals, states and nations have sold unnum- 
bered millions into slavery, prostitution, intoxication and 
kindred vices of destruction. Life, the precious gift of 
God, has been cheap in the markets of the world. The 
then living were red handed with the blood of the mar- 
tyred. The infallible decree that "whatsoever a man sow- 
eth that shall he also reap" receives the commendation of 
the angel, "for they are worthy." The voice from the al- 
tar confirmed the preceding declaration. We are led at 
once to see in all this terrific judgment the hand of mercy 
and redeeming love. The altar brings to us the thought 
of sacrifice, the sacrifice of Christ to save all who will ac- 
cept of the proffered mercy. The world*s sins had shed the 
blood of Christ, but in satanic delusion and depravity of 
heart they were rejecting offered mercy through Christ 
the Lamb of God. In their rebellion they added to all 
their other crimes that of being guilty of the death and 
blood of Christ. This was indeed a most solemn and aw- 
ful reminder to them not only of the blood of the slain 
but of the divinely provided means of redemption. 

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BOOK OF REVELATION 



4. The Fourth ViaL 

"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the 
sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with 
fire. 

''And men were scorched with great heat, and blas- 
phemed the name of God, which hath power over these 
plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." — 16:8, 9. 

This added calamity was of a most distressing kind. 
The sun's rays become intense so that persons are literally 
scorched by its fires. Malachi declares that the time shall 
come ''that shall burn as an oven." Under these heavy 
strokes of judgment the conduct of man is significant, they 
"blasphemed the name of God." The power of evil is mar- 
velous in its depth and kinship to Satan. How mighty 
are the abysmal depths to which man may fall even before 
leaving this life and while still surrounded with divine 
mercies and gospel grace. The people of the kingdom of 
Anti-Christ were not beyond the possibility of salvation 
and reception into divine favor for they were still on pro- 
bation. It is stated that "they repented not to give him 
glory" showing clearly that all these afflicted multitudes 
although they had fallen to the lowest depths were still on 
redemptive ground. How wonderful and gracious are the 
mercies and favors of God. The darkest night of judgment 
still shines with the Star of Bethlehem. 

5. The Fifth Vial. 

"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat 
of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and 
they gnawed their tongues for pain, 

"And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their 
pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds." — 
16:10, II. 

The fifth vial was poured out upon the throne of the 
Anti-Christ. This resulted in the world of Anti-Christ 

135 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



being filled with darkness. How like perdition it must 
now be under these cumulative calamities. A more awful 
horror of human suffering could not well be conceived, 
and yet they spent their time in blaspheming the God of 
heaven, and were utterly impenitent in their evil deeds. 
The heart may become harder than the nether mill stone, 
and more bitter than gall. Heaven save us from our possi- 
bilities to evil. However, if we possess such possibilities 
to evil, we possess corresponding possibilities for the good 
and holy. 

The apex of personal physical woe seems to have been 
reached under the fifth vial. 

6. The Sixth Vial. 

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great 
river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that 
the way of the kings of the East might be prepared. 

''And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out 
of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the 
beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 

"For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, 
which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the 
whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great 
day of God Almighty. 

"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watch- 
eth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and 
they see his shame. 

"And he gathered them together into a place called in 
the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." — 16:12-16. 

• The great river Euphrates acted in its flood tide as a 
barrier to the kings of the East, the sub-kings under the 
Anti-Christ, from making a great invasion against the 
land of Palestine and the holy city of Jerusalem. These 
judgments under the preceding vials were upon the king- 
dom of the Anti-Christ, which was a world empire of the 
Gentile world. 

At this time God's ancient people Israel had accepted 

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Christ and returned to their own land of covenant and 
promise, the farthest eastern border of which was the 
Euphrates, which was now dried up, and a possible op- 
portunity of invading and subjugating the holy dominions, 
the only portion of the earth not yet wholly subjected to 
the world empire of the Anti-Christ. At this time Christ 
having been received by Israel was personally reigning on 
the throne of David at Jerusalem, the one and only right- 
ful sovereign of Israel and of the earth. 

There now takes place a new demonstration of satanic 
power in which "three unclean spirits like frogs" go forth 
from the dragon, the Anti-Christ and the false prophet, 
''they are spirits of devils working miracles." These evil 
spirits "go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the 
whole world." Their ministry of evil is a world wide min- 
istry, and their object is "to gather all to the battle of the 
great day of God Almighty." A note of warning to the 
faithful then living is given, "Behold I come as a thief. 
Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest 
he walk naked, and they see his shame." The result of the 
crusade led by the three unclean spirits, devils working mi- 
racles, was the gathering of the combined armies of the 
Anti-Christ and his sub-kings together in a place called in 
the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. The account of the 
battle and its results are given in chapter nineteen. 

7. The Seventh Vial. 

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; 
and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, 
from the throne saying. It is done." — 16:17. 

The voice of God proclaims the completion of the then 
present order of things in the more direct destruction of 
the Anti-Christ and his kingdom, and the restoration of the 

137 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



alienated inheritance to the children of God. ''It is done" 
has a significance like the saying of Christ on the cross, 
''It is finished.*' That which remained for the completion 
of the divine purpose was about to be performed, the 
beginning of the end of the great rebellion of angels and 
man, which had reached the maximum of its power and 
manifestation and must recede from this point before the 
power and manifestations of Almighty God. 

THE SEVENTH VIAL IS DIVIDED INTO SEVEN 

PARTS. 

Chapter i6:i8 to 18:24. 

I. The First Part of the Seventh ViaL— A Great Voice 
in Heaven and a Terrible Judgment on Earth. 

'*And there were voices, and thunderings, and light- 
nings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not 
since men were up on the earth, so mighty an earthquake, 
and so great. 

"And the great city was divided into three parts, and the 
cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came into re- 
membrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the 
wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 

'*And every island fled away, and the mountains were 
not found. 

"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, 
every stone about the weight of a talent: and men 
blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the 
plague thereof was exceeding great." — 16:18-21. 

These voices from heaven accompanied with such awful 
results bore a message or proclamation to the inhabitants 
of the earth which has not been given to us. Following 
this there are thunderings, and lightnings, and the greatest 
earthquake of all time, dividing the great city of Babylon, 
and throwing down the cities of the nations, the configura- 
tion of the earth was changed, removing the islands and 

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mountains, and culminating in a most terrific and destruc- 
tive hailstorm. Amid these startling scenes of divine power 
multitudes remain impenitent, and blaspheme the name of 
God. However great the mighty judgments were upon the 
world in general, there was to be a special display of the 
divine wrath directed upon the metropolis of the world 
empire of Anti-Christ, resuscitated and restored Babylon. 
*'And great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to 
give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his 
wrath." 

2. The Second Part of the Seventh Vial.— A Vision of 
the Great Mystery of Babylon. 

''And there came one of the seven angels which had 
the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me. Come 
hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great 
whore that sitteth upon many waters; 

''With whom the kings of the earth have committed for- 
nication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made 
drunk with the wine of her fornication. 

"So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilder- 
ness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, 
full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten 
horns. 

"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet 
color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, 
having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and 
filthiness of her fornication: 

"And upon her forehead was a name written, MYS- 
TERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF 
HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 

"And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the 
saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and 
when I saw her I wondered with great admiration.'* — 
17:1-6. 

This is the third time attention has been called to Baby- 
lon in this book. It holds a large place in the ancient 
prophecies, and in the history of the people Israel. In the 

139 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



tenth chapter of Genesis we read of the beginning of the 
kingdom of Nimrod. His name indicates a rebellious one. 
He founded Babel or Babylon, He began to be a 
"mighty hunter before the Lord/' not of animals but a 
subduer or conquerer of men, and the statement "before 
the Lord" contains the thought that he placed himself be- 
fore God in seeking the service of men, that is he set him- 
self up in the place of God as a divinity. "And Cush be- 
got Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 
He was a hunter before the Lord." He was the founder 
of the city of Babel. The name he gives to his city "Ba- 
bel," gate of God, is indicative of the false religious 
character of his city. It was the gate of God. Doubtless 
Nimrod was its god. Babylon is the great fountain head 
of the idolatry of the ages. All idol worship shows a 
sameness of origin and an original unity. It was not a 
growth, but sprung full orbed into being, a rebellion against 
the living God. Babylon is the fountain head of idol 
worship, all the ancient mythologies trace direct to ancient 
Babylon, and also government by brute force. There is 
not found an intimation of either of these before the 
founding of Babylon. God is the only true object of wor- 
ship, and Christ is the only true ruler. All other worship 
is idolatry, all other rulership is usurpation, unless it be ad- 
ministered according to the divine will. We must remem- 
ber that the governments of the world have been largely 
the oppressors of the people for the benefit of the rulers. 
Babylon is the mother of both idolatry and tyranny. 
"Babylon the great mother of harlots and abominations 
of the earth." "The inhabitants of the earth have been 
made drunk with the wine of her fornication." This points 
directly to Babylon as the mother of all the false systems 
of religion, and from thence the world received them. 



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Keeping in mind the history of Babylon and what it has 
given to the world shows it to be the natural capital of the 
kingdom of Anti-Christ. The sun clad woman as de- 
scribed in chapter twelve clearly represented the visible 
cause of God in the world. In this second woman the 
visible cause of Satan in the world is represented. Both 
are mothers, one of the man child caught up to God and 
his throne, and also the others called the remnant of her 
seed which were especially warred against by the dragon. 
The other, ''the mother of harlots and abominations of the 
earth." Both are splendidly dressed. One's decorations 
are all heavenly, the other's all earthly. One was clad 
with the sun and decked with stars, the other " in purple and 
scarlet color and decked with precious stones and pearls." 
One is a pure woman, the other a harlot. One is hated by 
the powers of the earth, the other is loved by them. Both 
are carried, one by the wings of a great eagle given of 
God, the other by the beast, the Anti-Christ. One is sober, 
the other drunken with the blood of saints. One had a 
crown of twelve stars upon her head, representing the 
apostles of Christ, the other had on her head the names 
of blasphemy, directly representing the Anti-Christ. The 
one, the sun clad woman, the visible cause of God in the 
world, eventuates in its resultant labors and life in the city 
and inhabitants of the New Jerusalem, the bride the Lamb's 
wife, in all their resplendent glory. The other the visible 
cause of evil in the world eventuates in its resultant labors 
in the resuscitation of ancient Babylon as the metropolis 
of the temporal and spiritual world empire of the Anti- 
Christ with all its wealth and magnificence and immeasur- 
able evil and corruption, represented by the golden cup 
with its corrupt contents held in the hand of this dissolute 
woman. 



141 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



3. The Third Part of the Seventh Vial.— -The Mystery 
of the Sustaining Power of Babylon Explained by an 
Angel. 

"And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou 
marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of 
the beast that carried her, which hath the seven heads and 
ten horns. 

"The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall 
ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: 
and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose 
names were not written in the book of life from the foun- 
dation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, 
and is not, and yet is. 

"And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven 
heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. 

"And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, 
and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh he 
must continue a short space. 

"And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the 
eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 

"And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, 
which have received no kingdom yet; but receive power 
as kings one hour with the beast. 

"These have one mind, and shall give their power and 
strength unto the beast. 

"These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb 
shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King 
of kings: and they that are with him are called, and 
chosen, and faithful." — 17:7-14. 

Lest there might be any doubt as to the understanding 
of this symbol, the angel says, "I will tell thee the mystery 
of the woman and of the beast that carrieth her, which 
hath the seven heads and the ten horns." The description 
is then minutely given which is the exact description of the 
Anti-Christ. "The seven heads are seven mountains on 
which the woman sitteth." Then immediately follows the 
exposition of the "seven mountains." "And there are seven 
kings, five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not 
yet come; and when he cometh he must continue a short 

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BOOK OF REVELATION 



space." Seven means completion and refers to the five 
universal empires that had been and to the one that then 
was, the Roman, and to the world empire in the days of 
the Anti-Christ. "And the ten horns which thou sawest 
are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; 
but receive power as kings one hour with the beast, that 
is, from the Anti-Christ. These have one mind and shall 
give their power and strength unto the beast." Their unit- 
ed support is given to the Anti-Christ. These ten kings 
shall make war against the Lamb, that is Christ. "The 
Lamb shall overcome them." This is shown in the battle 
of Armageddon. The one which was yet to be was the 
universal world empire of the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ 
is declared to be the eighth "and is of the seventh'' or the 
completed result of all this mighty world power not of 
God. The ten kings formed a vmit as a world power; while 
they were ten separate kings, they had but one mind. 
They were absolutely controlled by Satan as was the 
Anti-Christ, making organically the world empire of the 
Anti-Christ the eighth, when in spiritual unity it was the 
seventh. 

4. The Fourth Part of the Seventh ViaL— The Vast Do- 
minion of Babylon in its Subjects and the Mighty Power of 
God in Making Even the Evil Help Destroy Itself. 

"And he said unto me. The waters which thou sawest, 
where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and 
nations, and tongues. 

"And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, 
these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate 
and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 

"For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and 
to agree, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until 
the words of God shall be fulfilled. 

"And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, 
which reigneth over the kings of the earth." — 17:15-18. 



143 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



This very special and minute interpretation reveals the 
condition prevailing among the inhabitants of the earth at 
this time. These ten horns are the ten sub-kings under 
the Anti-Christ representing the complete temporal or 
civil power of the wicked world at that time. Now follows 
a remarkable statement. "And the ten horns which thou 
sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and 
shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, 
and burn her with fire." The reason for this strange con- 
duct is given, "For God hath put it in their hearts to 
fulfill his will." This makes it plain the time will come 
when all the ancient forms and systems of false worship 
and idolatry shall be swept from the earth, and a new form 
of idolatry and false worship shall supplant them. Just as 
Anti-Christ's temporal sovereignty shall be new and uni- 
versal in the realm of the state, so a new religion shall 
supplant all that preceded. Both the temporal and spiritual 
kingdom of the Anti-Christ shall be the culminating result 
or harvest of all that preceded of an evil kind in church 
and state. There is no uncertainty as to what this new 
religion shall be for a complete account of it is given in, 
chapter thirteen where the dragon brings forth the Anti- 
Christ and false prophet and the speaking image. This 
new idol receives the worship of the entire kingdom of the 
Anti-Christ except those who have the seal of God in 
their foreheads, "as many as would not worship the image 
of the beast should be killed." This had been doubtless 
the purpose of Nimrod in establishing idolatry in the earth: 
to turn man to a new religion which he could utilize to his 
personal ambitions and gratification. 

Nebuchadnezzar set up his image on the plains of Dura 
and required universal divine worship of his empire in 
a representative manner which resulted in the three He- 

144 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



brews Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being cast into 
the fiery furnace as recorded in the third chapter of Dan- 
iel. Also Jeroboam established a new religion for the 
northern kingdom when he set up the golden calves in 
Dan and Bethel and made priests of the lowest of the peo- 
ple, to keep the people from going up to Jerusalem to 
worship lest they should return in loyalty to the house 
of David. Lest there might yet be some question as to 
whom this woman should represent it is said, "And the 
woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth 
over the kings of the earth." This was Babylon, the 
cumulative result of evil, the metropolis of the Anti-Christ, 
the ancient city resuscitated and clothed with all the 
grandeur of earth and sunk to the lowest depths of moral 
evil, the gaudy metropolis of hell on earth. There are 
many prophecies showing that Babylon as well as Jerusa- 
lem shall be restored; one of the most notable of these 
indicating its marvelous commercial supremacy is found in 
Zechariah. 

"Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and behold, 
there came out two women, and the wind was in their 
wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork; and 
they lifted up the ephah between earth and the heaven. 
Then said I to the angel that talked with me. Whither do 
these bear the ephah? And he said unto me. To build it an 
house in the land of Shinar; and it shall be established 
and set there upon her own base." The ephah means 
weights and measures, and stands for wealth and commer- 
cial supremacy. The two women with the wings of a 
stork, and the wind was in their wings and they bore the 
ephah between them, were a perfect picture of com- 
merce. They were to build for the ephah a house in the 
land of Shinar — that is, Babylon — and the ephah was to be 

145 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



set there on a sure base. The restored Babylon would be 
a worshiper of Mammon. It might be observed that the 
location of Babylon is right for such a center, being geo- 
graphically situated near the center of the greatest body 
of land on earth. From this region, the cradle of the race, 
man could walk over the five continents of the earth with 
the slight exception of Behering Strait, twenty-eight mile? 
of water separating the American continent from Asia. 

The fact that there is a general decadence in all that 
ancient region does not stand against the prophecy, for if 
the oriental peoples should become awakened as the Arab- 
ians under Mahomet and his successors the Caliphs, or the 
more recent awakening of the apparent insignificant island 
empire of Japan, who could measure their energy? The 
Eastern question has menaced the peace of the Western 
nations for years. The diplomats and statesmen of the 
West keep a watchful eye upon the East. There seems to 
be an ominous something that no one is able to fathom. 
The unexpected is expected to happen in that region. 

5. The Fifth Part of the Seventh Vial.— A Mighty An- 
gel Pronounces Sentence on Babylon. — Recounting Her 
Crimes. 

"And after these things I saw another angel come down 
from heaven, having great power; and the earth was light- 
ened with his glory. 

*'And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, 
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the 
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and 
a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 

"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath 
of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have com- 
mitted fornication with her, and the merchants of the 
earth have waxed rich through the abundance of her deli- 
cacies." — 18:1-3. 

This mighty angel was doubtless Christ. The earth was 
lighted with His glory. He declares the fall of the me- 

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BOOK OF REVELATION 



tropolis of Anti-Christ. "Babylon the great is fallen/' He 
describes its moral and spiritual condition, ^'become the 
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and 
a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." If there had 
remained a doubt of this being the metropolis of the king- 
dom of the Anti-Christ, this statement would certainly 
dispel it. The reason of the fall is stated, "For all nations 
have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." 
The world has participated in the idolatrous services of 
Babylon and all its associate evils. Not a nation has es- 
caped, so diffusible has been the virulent poison of false 
worship, expressing itself under some form of corruption 
and idolatry. 

6. The Sixth Part of the Seventh Vial.— A Voice from 
Heaven Calls out the Remaining People of God from the 
Great Metropolis of the Anti-Christ, Pronounces the Doom 
of Babylon, and the Sorrow of Her Patrons, Closing with 
an Expression of Triumph to the Cause of God. 

"And I heard another voice from heaven saying. Come 
out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her 
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

"For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath 
remembered her iniquities. 

"Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double 
unto her double according to her works: in the cup which 
she hath filled, fill to her double. 

"How much she hath glorified herself, and lived de- 
liciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she 
saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and 
shall see no sorrow. 

"Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, 
and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned 
with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 

"And the kings of the earth, who have committed for- 
nication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, 
and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her 
burning, 

147 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



"Standing afar of for the fear of her torment, saying, 
Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in 
one hour is thy judgment come. 

"And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn 
over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 

"The merchandise of gold and silver, and precious 
stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, 
and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels 
of ivory, and all manner vessels of precious wood, and of 
brass, and iron, and marble, 

"And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frank- 
incense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and 
beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and 
souls of men. 

"And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed 
from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly 
are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more 
at all. 

"The merchants of these things which were made rich 
by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, 
weeping and wailing, 

"And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed 
in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with 
gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 

"For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. 
And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and 
sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 

"And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, 
saying. What city is like unto this great city! 

"And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping 
and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein 
were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of 
her costliness, for in one hour is she made desolate. 

"Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles 
and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her." — 18:4-20. 

Even in the metropolis of Anti-Christ there are some 
who are true people of God, doubtless in great obscurity 
like Lot in Sodom, and also like him they are warned of 
impending calamity from heaven. The penalty will be ac- 
cording to the sowing, the harvest will be abundant. The 
world of Anti-Christ will look upon the mighty conflagra- 
tion and ruin in dazed and helpless astonishment. "For 

148 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

strong is the Lord God that judgeth her." Royalty 
mourns the loss of the great city. Conditions are such that 
no effort is made to relieve it in its hour of dire extrem- 
ity. 

The destruction of Babylon causes great sorrow and 
mourning on the earth, and great gladness and rejoicing 
in heaven, for Babylon stands as the embodiment of the 
religious, governmental and commercial expression of the 
visible kingdom of the Anti-Christ. 

7. The Seventh Part of the Seventh Vial.— A Mighty 
Angel Illustrates how Babylon, the Greatest Material Ex- 
pression of the Anti-Christ shall be Totally Destroyed by 
Divine Power. 

"And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great mill- 
stone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence 
shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall 
be found no more at all. 

"And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, 
and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; 
and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more in 
thee; 

"And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in 
thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall 
be heard no more at all in thee; for thy merchants were 
the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all 
nations deceived. 

"And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of 
saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." — 18:21-24. 

An angel illustrates Babylon's complete and eternal 
overthrow by casting a great stone into the sea, saying, 
"Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be 
thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.'' 

This summary of the reason for the calamity and de- 
struction of Babylon shows that the false worship first in- 
augurated in Babylon and from thence spread to all nations 
was the cause of the world's persecuting spirit. This is 

149 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



not an imaginary city of imaginary evils, suffering and 
imaginary destruction, but the gathered harvest of the evil 
forces now in operation, moving forward to their certain 
destruction. 



THE TRIUMPH. 

Chapter 19:1 to 20:3. 
I. The Rejoicing. 

"And after these things I heard a great voice of much 
people in heaven, saying. Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, 
and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: 

"For true and righteous are His judgments; for He hath 
judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with 
her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his serv- 
ants at her hand. 

"And again they said. Alleluia. And her smoke rose 
up forever and ever. 

"And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts 
fell down and worshiped God that sat on the throne, say- 
ing. Amen: Alleluia. 

"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, praise our 
God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small 
^d great. 

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, 
and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of 
mighty thunderings, saying. Alleluia: for the Lord God 
omnipotent reigneth." — 19:1-6. 

"After these things" refers to the fall of Babylon which 
has just been recounted. This scene of rejoicing is in 
heaven. The reason for this rejoicing is the triumph of 
righteousness in the earth. 

This was the great hallelujah chorus, the mighty dox- 
ology of redemption, "for the Lord God omnipotent reign- 
eth." "Alleluia" means, praise God my Savior. They 
were praising God for His great salvation, and by faith an- 
ticipating the complete and eternal reign of the Omnipo- 

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BOOK OF REVELATION 



tent. Each victory was a step nearer the final goal so 
earnestly sought and prayed for. 

2. The Marriage. 

''Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: 
for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath 
made herself ready. 

"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in 
fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the right- 
eousness of saints. 

''And he said unto me, Write, blessed are they which 
are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And 
he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God." — 
197-9. 

The two events that call forth the praises of the 
heavenly host are that God reigns, and the rebellion of 
man and angels, though grown ancient with years, is be- 
ing overthrown, and the lost but redeemed inheritance is 
being restored. Second, "the marriage of the Lamb is 
come and his wife hath made herself ready." The 
bride is the resurrected just and the translated saints who 
are caught up to meet the Lord in the air when he comes. 
They are those represented by the man child caught up to 
God and His throne, the co-rulers with Christ in the new 
earth. The Savior has used this same similitude so much 
in His parables that all are familiar with the loving truths 
presented by it. 

The bride's wedding raiment is especially noticed. The 
Scriptures make the subject of raiment conspicuous as an 
index of character. There is nothing of the nude in the 
heavenly visions, nor the angelic visitors to this world. 
They are clothed with a halo of light sometimes taking 
the form of robes; the angel which appeared to Cornelius 
stood before him "in bright clothing." 

The Psalmist declared concerning the Lord, "who cover- 

151 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



eth thyself with light as with a garment/' Doubtless our 
first parents in Eden in their purity were surrounded with 
a halo of light as a garment, and when sin came, it ex- 
tinguished this brilliant robe and they found themselves 
naked and were ashamed. Those "called unto the marriage 
supper of the Lamb" are doubtless those saved during the 
tribulation and perhaps the angels. 

3. John Falls Prostrate Before the Angel. 

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said 
unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and 
of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship 
God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 
— 19:10. 

The apostle was so overcome with what he had seen 
and heard that he fell before his heavenly guide with ven- 
eration and devotion. The angel then declares his iden- 
tity, saying, "I am thy fellow servant and of thy breth- 
ren." Some one who had finished his labors on earth, 
but so exalted and glorious that John could not recognize 
him in his changed relations and heavenly raiment. 

4. The Living Word. 

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; 
and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and 
in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

"His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head 
were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no 
man knew, but he himself. 

"And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: 
and his name is called The Word of God. 

"And the armies which were in heaven followed him 
upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 

"And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with 
it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with 
a rod of iron; and he treadeth the winepress of the fierce- 
ness and wrath of Almighty God. 

"And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name 



152 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." 
— 19:11-16. 

This is a description of the great Captain of our salva- 
tion. **For it became him for whom are all things, and 
by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, 
to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suf- 
ferings." Heaven is opened again as it has been many 
times before. Christ is seen "faithful and true," so in 
contrast with the Anti-Christ. His judgments and war are 
in righteousness or in defence of the right. This war is 
in the defence of the people of God at Jerusalem where 
the restored Israel are serving the living God and against 
the dragon, Anti-Christ and false prophet who have sent 
forth the three unclean spirits which are devils working 
miracles; by means of these evil spirits the military power 
of the empire of Anti-Christ are gathered together. "And 
I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the 
mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast, 
and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are 
the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth un- 
to the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather 
them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty." 
"And he gathered them together into a place called in the 
Hebrew tongue Armageddon." The description of the 
mighty Captain of our salvation is given in great glory. 
His eyes are described as in the opening chapter of this 
book. The crowns upon his head indicate his complete 
rulership over all realms. His name no created being 
could know for it is expressive of the immeasurable attri- 
butes of the Deity. The vesture dipped in blood is indica- 
tive of His atonement and may as a result of that atone- 
ment and His consequent victory also prefigure the de- 
struction of His enemies as the blood of the Paschal Lamb 
represented the blood of Christ in salvation to the first 

153 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



born of Israel, and might be indicative indirectly of the 
death of the first born of Egypt. 

"His name is called The Word of God." John calls 
him by this name in the opening of both his Gospel and 
First Epistle. The armies of heaven followed the great 
captain on white horses clad in white robes. What an 
army of light and glory! It does not appear that they took 
part in the coming battle. The great captain bears the 
word-sword as in the opening chapter of this book. With 
this sword he will smite down to death and perdition the 
army of the Anti-Christ. The name written on his ves- 
ture and on his thigh is his royal title, "King of Kings and 
Lord of Lords." 

5. The Great Invitation. 

"And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he 
cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly 
in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves to- 
gether unto the supper of the great God; 

"That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of 
captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of 
horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all 
men, both free and bond, both small and great." — 19: 
17, 18. 

All things being ready for the great battle an angel 
goes forth issuing a royal proclamation to the fowls of 
the air to a great feast upon the bodies of the armies of 
the Anti-Christ, called "the supper of the great God," fore- 
shadowing the mighty defeat of the cause of the Anti- 
Christ. 

6. The Great Confederacy. 

"And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and 
their armies, gathered together to make war against him 
that sat on the horse, and against his army." — 19:19. 



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BOOK OF REVELATION 

The Anti-Christ and his sub-kings embracing the ruler- 
ship of the Gentile world mobilize their combined armies 
for the purpose of united and aggressive warfare against 
Christ and His cause. The three lying spirits which had 
gone forth with their deception had met with great suc- 
cess in the Gentile-world-empire of the Anti-Christ. 

7. The Victory. 

''And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet 
that wrought miracles before him, with which he had de- 
ceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and 
them that worshipped his image. These both were cast 
alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 

"And the remnant of them were slain with the sword 
of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out 
of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their 
flesh. 

''And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having 
the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his 
hand. 

"And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which 
is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 

"And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him 
up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the 
nations no more, till the thousand years should be ful- 
filled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.'' 
— 19:20 to 20:3. 

The battle itself is not described, but its results are 
given. All this vast host was slain "with the sword of 
him that sat upon the horse which sword proceeded out of 
his mouth." It would seem that Christ called forth some 
violent means, not named. So complete was their defeat 
that none of this vast army remained to bury the dead "and 
all the fowls were filled with their flesh." The Anti- 
Christ and the false prophet were cast alive into a lake of 
fire. "These both were cast into a lake of fire burning ^ 
with brimstone." All the others were killed, but these 
two had been brought up from the dead and consequently 

155 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



were not subject to death having had a satanic resusci- 
tation or resurrection. 

The real conflict was between Christ and Satan. The 
Anti-Christ, false prophet and speaking image, with all 
which appertained to them, was but Satan's masterpiece 
of diabolical strategy to secure and hold the world's serv- 
ice and worship to himself. 

The situation at this time would be, the cause of Christ 
triumphant. First, there was the total destruction of 
Babylon the metropolis of Anti-Christ, with all its social 
and financial power; this was the wheat harvest. Second, 
the defeat of the assembled army of the Anti-Christ and its 
total destruction, sweeping away all the Gentile ruling 
or governmental powers of the earth, and the casting into 
the lake of fire the Anti-Christ and the false prophet, thus 
sweeping away all his religion from the earth. This was 
the vintage or grape harvest. The Anti-Christ had de- 
stroyed all the false systems of religion to make room for 
his own. This condition of the Anti-Christ's cause would 
leave his empire in perfect chaos financially, governmentally 
and religiously. Added to all this will be the wonderful 
transactions of this scripture showing how Christ comes 
down and binds Satan with a chain, and imprisons him 
in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. Man is unde- 
ceived, that is the great mass of the Gentile world who 
composed the world empire of the Anti-Christ. The de- 
ceiver is bound and imprisoned. What a mighty change! 
What a great deliverance! What a gracious deliverer! 
The deluded and benighted masses are startled, dazed, de- 
fenceless, undeceived, hopeless and free. The binding of 
Satan and destruction of the Anti-Christ and his civil and 
religious empire, gives the cause of Christ its golden op- 
portunity to bless the world, bringing the natural and easy 

IS6 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



transfer from the personal reign of the Anti-Christ, in a 
world empire, to the personal reign of Christ in a world 
empire which is the Millennium. This transition becomes 
all the more easy and natural when we keep in mind the 
fact that at this time Christ is personally reigning on the 
throne of David in the city of Jerusalem over the restored 
Israel. 

SECTION V. 

CHRIST REVEALED IN THE MILLENNIUM. 

Chapter XX 14-6. 

I. The Thrones. 

"And I saw thrones." — 20:4. 

The dark shadows give way to a golden sunrise. The 
Millennium is ushered in, the blessed day of a thousand 
years has come. The condition of the peoples of the earth 
at the opening of the Millennium were, First, as to the 
unsaved, the vast mass of the Anti-Christ's kingdom were 
absolutely without government or religion. Second, as 
seen in chapter 11:13 under the leadership of an apostle 
and the two prophets there was a restoration of the an- 
cient people Israel, and in chapter 14:1 that Christ had 
taken the throne of David on Zion, also that there was 
a remnant of true followers of Christ among the Gentiles 
even under the dominion of the Anti-Christ, for there was 
a remnant of the sun clad woman's seed against which 
the dragon made war, and that even in the very capital 
and metropolis of the Anti-Christ, Babylon, there were 
some of the true servants of God, for just preceding the de- 
struction of that city there was a call "come out of her my 
people." This shows that at the time of the utter col- 

157 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



lapse of the empire of the Anti-Christ there were scat- 
tered servants of God, Gentile Christians, and the restored 
Israel reigned over personally by Christ in the city of 
Jerusalem, outside of whose walls the military power of 
the Anti-Christ was destroyed, described in chapter 14: 
19, 20. These saved peoples, then living, were the visible 
representatives of the cause of Christ on earth, a holy 
leaven amidst the great mass of the unreligioned and dis- 
illusioned, who had composed the Anti-Christ's civil and 
spiritual empire. The resurrected just and translated saints 
occupied thrones, and with Christ administered the gov- 
ernment during the thousand years in which they with 
united effort sought to bring all to righteousness and sal- 
vation in Christ; they shall not only reign but "be priests 
of God and of Christ." The good Shepherd with his assist- 
ants will seek to lead all into the ways of God. The Mil- 
lennium is not the eternal state, but it is a thousand years 
of perfect government and instruction, all under the su- 
pernatural Christ and the saints. Climatic and other con- 
ditions may be changed, how we know not. Man will still 
be a free moral agent. It does not follow that all will be 
good even under these favorable conditions, they were not 
in Eden. The Millennium is not the final state of blessed- 
ness, but the last thousand years of the probation of man, 
under most favorable conditions. 

The throne always stands for power and sovereignty. 
Not one throne, but thrones which would point to many 
exercising power and dominion harmoniously. 

2. The Thrones Occupied. 

"And they sat upon them." — 20:4. 
Aside from the fact that they were seen there is no 
description of these sub-kings, they were the resurrected 
righteous and translated saints with the martyred and 
saved during the tribulation. 

158 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



3. They Ruled with Delegated Power. 

"And judgment was given unto them." — 20:4. 

They had no original jurisdiction. Their power was 
conferred. All divine power is a gift. The disciples were 
to tarry at Jerusalem until endowed with "power from on 
high." God's cause has been and ever will be carried for- 
ward by His own power. 

4. The Souls of the Beheaded. 

"And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for 
the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which 
had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had 
received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands." 
— 20:4. 

The method of their martyrdom is explicitly stated, 
they "were beheaded.'^ These noble martyrs are made the 
special subject of notice for they had been true to God 
under the most trying conditions. 

5. The Reign of the Martyrs. 

"And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand 
years." — 20:4. 

This was for a thousand years. They are now receiv- 
ing in at least a limited way an earnest of the gracious 
promise given to them under the fifth seal. A full com- 
pensation will be made to the saved for all they suffer for 
the cause of Christ. 

6. The Two Resurrections. 

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the 
thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrec- 
tion. 

"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first res- 
urrection: on such the second death hath no power." — 20: 
S, 6. 

T59 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



Those whose bodies were still in their graves were the 
wicked dead. All the righteous dead had already arisen 
at the beginning of the Millennium. They were now im- 
mortal, being beyond the power of death or the conse- 
quences of evil. 

7. The Sacerdotal Kings. 

''But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and 
shall reign with him a thousand years." — 20:6. 

Here are the saved of the ages with their divine Re- 
deemer. They occupy two offices. First, Sovereignty, 
having a subordinate part in the rulership of the earth 
under Christ. Second, they are in a special sense minis- 
ters and assistants to Christ in the spiritual instruction and 
direction of the divine services. We can see how great 
and important this work would be under the then present 
conditions of the peoples of the earth, having been just 
undeceived, and released from their bondage to the Anti- 
Christ. But little is directly stated as to the conditions 
upon the earth during this thousand years. It will surely 
be a time of blessing such as the world has not known 
since the fall in Eden. It will be an earnest or foretaste 
of what is to come on a more magnificent scale to the 
family of man and earth in final and eternal redemption. 
The great purpose of the Millennium is to bring forth a 
people, prepared by the grace and power of God to fulfil 
the original designs of the Almighty. Out from the Mil- 
lennium shall come the redeemed and restored family of 
man, that is as Adam and Eve were before the fall, and 
they shall fulfil in the new earth, paradise restored, the 
original purpose of God in the creation of man. Sin 
shall not thwart the purpose of the Omnipotent; redemp- 
tion is triumphant. Redemption in Jesus Christ provides 

160 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



for the restoration of the fallen individual to divine favor 
and heaven, the fallen family of man to Adamic conditions 
before the fall, and the restoration of the cursed and fallen 
earth to its original paradisiacal state. 

SECTION VL 

CHRIST REVEALED IN THE GENERAL 
JUDGMENT. 

Chapter XX 7-15. 

1. Satan Loosed. 

"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall 
be loosed out of his prison." — 20:7. 

A dark heavy shadow falls upon the conclusion of the 
bright and happy day of a thousand years. Why Satan 
should be loosed for a "little season" only the Infinite 
could reveal, but He has not given us this knowledge. 

2. The Nations Deceived. 

"And shall go out to deceive the nations which are 
in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to 
gather them together for battle: the number of whom is 
as the sand of the sea. 

"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and 
compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved 
city." — 20:8, 9. 

Satan is unchanged. The same malevolent spirit, pur- 
pose and disposition still prevails. While the Millennium 
was a thousand years of the personal reign of Christ and 
His saints, it was still a time of probation. It was not a 
time of Edenic perfection for the curse of sin was still 
upon the earth. It was a time of probation to the then 
natural inhabitants of the earth. Satan was bound, Christ 
and His resurrected and translated saints in person gov- 

161 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



erned the world. Man was a free moral agent saved by 
faith and the general processes of salvation in regeneration 
and sanctification, the same as all Christians in the preced- 
ing ages. Gog and Magog seem to be the two divisions 
of the peoples of the earth. This rebellion resulted in a 
combined attack of all the forces of evil against the be- 
loved city, Jerusalem, and the encamped saints at that 
place. It would seem that a large part of the then living 
peoples of the earth at the close of the millennial age 
were carried away in this mighty rebellion, but some re- 
mained true. This was a true and literal rebellion against 
the holy and royal sovereign Christ. The attack was led 
against the capital of the millennial earth, the holy city 
Jerusalem. 

3. The Defeat of Satan. 

"And fire came down from God out of heaven, and de- 
voured them. 

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the 
lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false 
prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for- 
ever and ever." — 20:9, 10. 

This is not the first time God has used this terrific 
weapon against His foes. This was the most awful 
stroke of divine justice visited upon the living wicked in 
the ages. All the wicked living are swept from life at 
once. Not a single rebel against God lives upon the earth. 
Christ and the living righteous alone are left. Satan is 
cast into the lake of fire where the beast, that is the Anti- 
Christ, and the false prophet had been cast at the begin- 
ning of the Millennium, These arch conspirators against 
God are consigned to eternal punishment. 

4. The Great White Throne. 

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on 
it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and 
there was found no place for them." — 20:11. 

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. BOOK OF REVELATION 



The great white throne appears. So terrible in glory 
and splendor that it is said that heaven and earth fled 
away, that is, were extinguished or blotted out from the 
visible as the stars of night are driven away by the rising 
sun. This ineffable glory is the glory of God. There is 
no description attempted. Not even the pen of an in- 
spired apostle could picture that which he saw. He is 
content with a statement of the results, that even the blaz- 
ing sun paled into nothingness before the splendor of the 
Infinite. 

5. The Distribution of Rewards. 

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before 
God; and the books were opened: and another book was 
opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were 
judged out of those things which were written in the 
books, according to their works.'' — 20:12. 

This was the general judgment of all, both the right- 
eous and the wicked. The general judgment is a time for 
the distribution of rewards. That this is the general judg- 
ment is clearly shown by the opening of the books. "The 
books were opened," "which is the book of life." This 
added statement confirms this view "and the dead were 
judged out of those things which were written in the 
books according to their works.'' The saved will receive 
a reward for every righteous act, and the wicked will re- 
ceive an added penalty for every sin. The full fruitage of 
our deeds of good or evil will not reach their ripened 
harvest until this time, for they have continued to bless 
or curse the world until this very hour of the final judg- 
ment. Both the righteous and the wicked receive some- 
what the fruit of their deeds, but only in an incidental way, 
even in this life; that is they have an earnest of the joys 
of redemption, or the remorse of perdition. 

163 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



6. The Resurrected Wicked. 

"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and 
death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: 
and they were judged every man according to his works." 
—20:13. 

This shows clearly that the wicked, whether having 
died on sea or land will not only be present in spirit but 
in body. The dark regions of the lost, occupied between 
death and the judgment, will not hide the soul, nor the 
depth of ocean or grave the body. The subject of rewards 
is again emphasized, showing that there will be a justice 
in the degrees of penalty as well as to its fact. 

7. The Final Punishment of the Wicked. 

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. 
This is the second death. 

"And whosoever was not found written in the book 
of life was cast into the lake of fire." — 20:14-15. 

The statement that "death and hell were cast into the 
lake of fire" would seem to be a personification of evil, 
that is the consequences of evil are cast into perdition. 
This is said to be the "second death." The direct applica- 
tion of this is given when it is said, "And whosoever was 
not found written in the book of life was cast into the 
lake of fire." The great tragedy of the ages is past. The 
mystery of evil remains unsolved. Those of free and 
untrammeled choice, both of men and of angels, who have 
chosen the evil have but gathered the ripened harvest of 
their deliberate choosing, from which fatal choice all that In- 
finite love could do in its richest expressions could not entice 
them. Special attention is called to a significant statement 
concerning the general judgment, it was a judgment of the 
dead or those which had died and been raised to life 
again. This would practically include the translated who 
receive in an instant that marvelous change to immortality 

164 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

that the righteous dead receive in the resurrection. Ob- 
serve that all the deceived of Satan, Gog and Magog, were 
put to death by the consuming fire that came from God 
out of heaven. That would leave the righteous living at 
the close of the Millennium who would not be included in 
the general judgment of the great white throne. That is, 
the gathered results of the rule of Christ and the saints 
during the time of the Millennium, doubtless a great and 
holy people walking in all the fellowship of God, a truly 
redeemed humanity. Observe the then present conditions. 
The wicked of both angels and man have received their 
just decree to perdition with their personal rewards ac- 
cording to personal works. The sainted righteous have 
received their just decree, in Christ, and their personal 
rewards according to personal work. The living righteous 
and holy, the harvest of the millennial reign of Christ and 
the saints, are upon the earth. Man existed on earth be- 
fore the reign of sin began, and shall pass through all the 
vicissitudes of time and continue on earth after sin and 
rebellion are a thing of the past. Had sin never entered 
the world the human race must have continued until dis- 
continued by the direct act of God. The rebellion of man 
and of angels is but an incident in the flight of ages. The 
redemption wrought by Christ makes it possible that the 
endless ages of man may continue in this world which 
will have become Eden again, in which Adamic perfection 
shall crown the new creation in all its blessed and holy 
associations. The world will not be the eternal home of 
the individual, but of the race of man. Just how the 
transfer of the matured saints to heaven is to be ac- 
complished has not been revealed, but it would seem rea- 
sonable to conclude that it would be by translation, or a 
taking up like Enoch and Elijah and the translated saints 
at the coming of Christ. It cannot be by the gateway of 

i6s 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



death and the resurrection, for in the sinless race and 
perfect earth there shall be no death. The Millennium 
serves the glorious purpose in the economy of grace to 
bring forth the race of man redeemed to fulfil the original 
purpose of God in the original creation of man. The 
wickedness of man and of angels will not thwart the divine 
purpose in the original creation of man. Eleven days 
would have taken Israel from Egypt to the land of prom- 
ise, but transgression delayed this forty years, but did 
not defeat the divine purpose. 

The fall of angels and of man, the horrible tragedy of 
the ages, will bring irremedial ruin to multitudes of incor- 
rigible impenitents and delay the lofty and benign purposes 
of the Infinite, but v/ill not turn them aside an hair's 
breadth. 

SECTION VII. 

CHRIST REVEALED IN THE RESTORATION OF 
THE REDEEMED EARTH TO ITS PARADI- 
SIACAL CONDITIONS, THE REDEEMED FAM- 
ILY OF MAN TO THEIR EDENIC PERFEC- 
TION AND INHERITANCE, AND THE REIGN 
OF CHRIST AND THE SAINTS IN SPLENDOR 
AND GLORY FOREVER. 

Chapters XXI: to XXII:2i. 

THE RESTORATION. 

Chapter 21:1-18. 

I. The New Heaven and Earth. 

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the 
first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and 
there was no more sea." — 21:1. 

A wonderful vision is given to the apostle of the new 

166 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



heaven and the new earth. The new heaven doubtless 
refers to the New Jerusalem, for this added planet so to 
speak will entirely change the appearance of the heavens. 
God may add greatly to the brilliancy and numbers of the 
planetary bodies so as to almost infinitely increase the 
beauty and splendor of the skies. The former conditions of 
the earth had passed away, not that the material was new, 
but its transformation was complete. '*As a vesture thou 
shalt fold them up and they shall be changed." The curse 
of sin which had fallen upon all the realm of nature has 
been removed by redemption, "the whole creation groan- 
eth and travaileth in pain until now." The earth now in 
chaotic ruins and desolation will be restored in all the 
rich glory, purity and fulness of Eden; redemption in 
Christ becomes material restoration as well as spiritual. 
"There shall be no more sea," indicates great changes of 
which we have no specific knowledge. It may mean that 
in the new conditions the sea which has been a cause 
of great separations in the family of man shall not in any 
way hinder a perfectly free intercourse among the then 
inhabitants of the earth. The sea had become the prison 
walls which separated the banished apostle from those he 
loved. 

2. The Holy City. 

"And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, com- 
ing down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride 
adorned for her husband." — 21:2. 

The holy city is the direct gift of God, a literal city, 
the New Jerusalem. It is not heaven for it comes down 
from God out of heaven. It is the metropolis, the capital 
city of the new paradisiacal earth. The material world 
is redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, the lost in- 
heritance is restored. The preceding verse declares there 

167 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



shall be a new heaven. The holy city is a planet of the 
most brilliant light, the effulgent light of God, so near 
that the entire heavens in their general aspect will be 
changed as viewed from the earth. 

3. The New Tabernacle. 

"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Be- 
hold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell 
with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself 
shall be with them, and be their God. 

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; 
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor cry- 
ing, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former 
things are passed away." — 21:3, 4. 

A great voice from heaven proclaims the tabernacle of 
God is with men, this is the holy city, the New Jerusalem. 
This is the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and 
not man.'* Then follows a description of God's dealings 
with the redeemed race, a shepherdizing of the remnant 
of the family of man. "Wipe away all tears from their 
eyes." "No more death." "Neither sorrow." "*Nor cry- 
ing." "Neither shall there be any more pain." The Good 
Shepherd will perfectly care for his flock. 

4. The New Creation. 

"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make 
all things new. And he said unto me. Write: for these 
things are true and faithful. 

"And he said unto me, It is done." — 21:5, 6. 

Sin has cursed and blighted, marred and disfigured from 
the day of the curse in Eden to the then present hour. 
The sacrifice of Christ covered the entire results of the 
curse of sin. This degenerate earth upon which did fall 
the precious blood of Christ shall be wholly and . perfectly 
restored by it. Only rebellious man who deliberately 

168 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



set at naught the divine provision shall suffer for unend- 
ing ages the penalty of his treason against God, "It is 
done/' marks the completion of this material redemption. 
All nature, material, animal, intellectual, physical and spir- 
itual is now through redemption restored to Edenic per- 
fection, a resurrected, translated, glorified earth. In view 
of what this cursed, crime blackened and blood stained 
earth is to be, we may hear in anticipation the voice of 
Jehovah at the burning bush, 'Tut thy shoes from off thy 
feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." 

5. Christ Reveals Himself. 

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. 
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the 
water of life freely." — 21:6. 

As in the opening vision, Christ declares himself and 
His eternity coupling with it His promise made in the 
temple on the last day of the great feast, *'Jesus stood and 
cried, saying. If any man thirst let him come unto me, 
and drink." 

6. A Promise Given to the Ages. 

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will 
be his God, and he shall be my son." — 21.7. 

This promise comes from the point of final triumph, 
back over the ages of probation, turmoil and conflict to 
cheer the heart of the battle-scarred veteran, and comfort 
the weary pilgrim. "He that overcometh" is not only the 
rich possessor of all things, but belongs to the very family 
and household of God, rich in possessions and relation- 
ship. 

7. A Great Warning Given to the Ages. 

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, 
and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and 

169 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake 
which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the sec- 
ond death."— 21 :8. 

The characters described comprehended within them- 
selves all the possible grades, degrees and phases of wick- 
edness. The expressions and manifestations of evil are 
myriad, but the final penalty is the same. To be cast into 
the same abode as their leader Satan. Having joined 
together in rebellion they share alike in the penalty, not in 
the same degree, but according to the measure of their 
works. ''This is the second death." Their preceding spir- 
itual and bodily death was the result of sin in a meas- 
ure, but this is completion in its consequences and dura- 
tion, forever. 

THE NEW JERUSALEM. 

Chapters 21:9 to 22:5. 
I. A Vision Given. 

"And there came unto me one of the seven angels 
which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, 
and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee 
the bride, the Lamb's wife, 

"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and 
high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy 
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." — 21:9, 10. 

He had before seen the holy city, but this vision now to 
be given is a minute and specific view of the bride's city, 
called the bride, that is the capital city from whence the 
redeemed earth slialPbe governed by Christ and the saints. 

Surely this must have been the city for which the patri- 
arch was searching, "for he looked for a city which hath 
foundations, whose builder and maker is God." We under- 
stand this to be a true literal city, the metropolis and cap- 
ital of the redeemed earth, the tabernacle of God with 
men. It came down bodily from heaven. It is called the 
bride, the Lamb's wife, because it is the home of the 

170 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

bride, the resurrected just and the translated saints, the 
co-rulers with Christ of the redeemed earth, the restored 
inheritance which Christ our nearest of kin redeemed with his 
blood. Not that this excludes the saints from the "heaven 
of heavens" but it is the city of the saints from whence 
the earth shall be governed. Many of the scenes which 
the apostle w^as called upon to see and describe for us, 
are of the ^'heaven of heavens," the eternal abode of the 
Infinite, in which the redeemed of the earth are described 
as engaged in the heavenly worship. 

2. The Bridal City Described. 

''Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto 
a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as 
crystal; 

''And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, 
and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, 
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children 
of Israel: 

"On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on 
the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 

"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and 
in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 

"And he that talked with me had a golden reed to 
measure the city and the gates thereof, and the wall 
thereof. 

"And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as 
large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the 
reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the 
breadth and the height of it are equal. 

"And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and 
forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, 
that is, of the angel. 

"And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and 
the city was pure gold like unto clear glass. 

"And the foundations of the wall of the city were gar- 
nished with all manner of precious stones. The first foun- 
dation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chal- 
cedony; the fourth, an emerald; 

"The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, 
chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, 

171 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



a chrysoprasus; the eleventh a jacinth; the twelfth, an 
amethyst. 

"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every sev- 
eral gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was 
pure gold, as it were transparent glass." — 21:11-21. 

This city had the "glory of God, and her light was like 
unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear 
as crystal." Its walls, gates and foundations are minute- 
ly described. Its gates had the names of the twelve tribes 
of Israel, the twelve patriarchs, and upon the foundations 
the names of the twelve apostles of Christ. This city was 
a veritable planet of gems in all their gorgeous wealth and 
lighted with the ineffable glory of Jehovah. This place of 
blazing light comes down from God, it does not seem to 
rest on the earth, for the nations of the saved walk in the 
light of it. It was like a nearby planet. This city of 
light and glory was of marvelous size being over 1,500 
miles square. Its magnitude is in harmony with the maj- 
esty of the Holy Scriptures. "And he measured the city 
with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and 
the breadth, and the height of it are equal." 

If the world should stand ten thousand years at its 
present estimated population there would be, in this house 
of "many mansions," for each individual, a room larger 
than Solomon's temple and all its courts after deducting 
half the entire space for the throne of God and the golden 
streets. 

Many of the Biblical narratives are minimized by un- 
translated measures, and a failure to properly appreciate 
them. 

Taking the amount of manna per individual it would 
require about twenty thousand bushels per day for forty 
years to feed Israel in the wilderness. 

The amount of water flowing from the smitten rock al- 
lowing for each individual, their vast herds, the amount ab- 

172 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



sorbed by the desert sands and evaporated by the sun must 
have been more than ten million gallons per day. 

David's selecting five smooth stones from the brook 
in his battle with Goliath shows the measure of his faith. 
By reference to Second Samuel we find that Goliath had 
four brothers or cousins. David doubtless anticipated not 
only a victory over the Philistine champion but a triumph 
over the entire family of giants. 

Noah's ark w^as five hundred and sixty-three feet long, 
ninety-three feet wide and fifty-six feet deep. The prob- 
lem is not how there should be room for all the animals 
and provision for a year, but why so much room. 

The same magnitude of calculation is used by our Sa- 
vior in His parable of the debtor, showing indebtedness to 
God of more than fourteen millions of dollars whereas 
his fellow-being owed him but fifteen dollars. 

In the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand men 
besides womefi and children, which doubtless would be as 
many more, the boy's five loaves or cakes and two small 
fishes which evidently would make him a meal, was multi- 
plied eight or ten thousand times. 

On the other hand where God's omnipotence is con- 
cerned we are prone to stumble, for instance in Joshua's 
commanding the sun to stand still. Compare this feat 
with some of the marvelous achievements of men and it 
will not seem so far beyond all reason. An engineer 
brings his train, running at the rate of sixty miles an hour, 
to a stop in thirty seconds. At the same ratio the earth 
could be brought to a standstill in less than ten minutes. 

The enormous aggregation at the general judgment is 
so astounding that many have thought that a general judg- 
ment would be an impossibility, yet the estimated popula- 
tion of the earth, from the dawn of creation to the present 

173 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



time, would easily stand on less than half of the island of 
Cuba. 

3. The Temple. 

"And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Al- 
mighty and the Lamb are the temple of it/' — 21:22. 

It was itself the true tabernacle which the "Lord pitched 

and not man." Its inhabitants dwelt within its sacred pre- 
cincts, priests and kings in holy obedience, service and 
rulership. In heaven there was a temple, which is fre- 
quently mentioned, after which the earthly tabernacle was 
patterned, but there was no temple in the New Jerusalem 
for it was itself declared the "tabernacle of God with man." 
The New Jerusalem was somewhat like the tabernacle of 
God with Israel in the wilderness. It was God's palace oc- 
cupied by his consecrated servants, the priests who were 
engaged under divine guidance in the ruling, instruction and 
general welfare of the people in every way. So the New 
Jerusalem is the tabernacle of God located near the earth 
as the palace of God and occupied by the bride, the resur* 
rected and translated saints, who are under divine guidance 
to promote the welfare and happiness of the redeemed 
family of man in the restored paradisiacal earth. 

4. Not Dependent on Nature. 

"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the 
moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, 
and the Lamb is the light thereof." — 21:23. 

The great natural lights were needed for the earth, but 
not for this its capital city, for it was lighted with the 
uncreated light of God. 

5. Its Relation to the Saved. 

"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk 
in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their 
glory and honor into it. 



174 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



''And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: 
for there shall be no night there. 

"And they shall bring the glory and honor of the na- 
tions into it." — 21:24-26. 

This shows clearly that this bridal city is a planet, for 
the saved race of man now dwelling upon the paradisiacal 
earth ''walk in the light of it." 

The kings of the earth are the sub-rulers under Christ; 
they now rule the earth from this the capital city; their 
glory and honor are brought into it. The gates are not 
closed. There are now no enemies that can invade the 
cause of God. The nations also in some way bring their 
glory into this city, that is the redeemed family of man 
then on earth. Communication between the saints and the 
city of light would be perfectly easy to them, but perhaps 
not possible to those belonging to the redeemed race of 
man as heaven is accessible to the angels now, and they 
have much to do with the things of this world, for they 
are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them 
who shall be heirs of salvation." 

Our Savior said much in the days of His incarnation 
concerning the kingdom of heaven. The church is not a 
kingdom, nor the kingdom a church, but as the less is con- 
tained in the greater, these statements concerning the 
kingdom apply to the church, but if we limit them to the 
church, we cut off a large part of their spiritual instruc- 
tion. The kingdom of heaven will be a spiritual state of 
blessedness, a literal fact, not in name, not in symbol, but 
in reality. Such a kingdom as would have been had not 
man fallen. This, the kingdom of heaven, shall yet be es- 
tablished in the earth in all its matchless glory and power, 
being the fruits of redemption in the restored earth, and 
redeemed family of man. 

175 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

6. Character the Determining Factor in Citizenship. 

''And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that 
defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or mak- 
eth a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book 
of life." — 21:27. 

Every evil of every kind is forever excluded. Only 
those written in the Lamb's book of life can ever be citi- 
zens of this holy city. God's cause strikes at the very 
root of being; both sin and righteousness are but the outer 
expression of the inner character. 

7. An Added Vision. 

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear 
as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the 
Lamb. 

"In the middle of the street of it, and on either side 
of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve 
manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and 
the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

"And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of 
God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall 
serve him: 

"And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in 
their foreheads. 

"And there shall be no night there; and they need no 
candle, neither the light of the sun; for the Lord God giv- 
eth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever." — - 
22:1-5. 

This is a continued description of the holy city. The 
former vision showed its wealth and splendor. This added' 
vision shows the divine provisions for the luxurious pro- 
visions of the redeemed. One of the chief glories of Eden 
was in its provision for all the wants of man both physi- 
cal and spiritual, "with every blessing blessed." The curse 
of sin is past, and God's own glory is the effulgent light 
of the saints, and his sovereign power and holy will their 
delight. 

176 



BOOK OF REVELATION 

SUMMARY. 

Chapter XXII:6-i5. 

1. The Future Revealed. 

'*And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and 
true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his an- 
gels to shew unto his servants the things which must 
shortly be done." — 22:6. 

This book is a prophecy given by the God of the 
prophets. God who cannot lie is the author. This proph- 
ecy will not be fulfilled in shadow, but in awful reality. 
This most sublime prophecy, the Book of Revelation, re- 
vealing the future and showing the final consummation 
of both good and evil, is very needful to the children of 
God. , 

2. His Coming. 

"Behold I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the 
sayings of the prophecy of this book." — 22:7. 

Attention is especially called to His coming. The say- 
ings of this prophecy are directly connected with His com- 
ing. Those who give attention to the prophecies of this 
book are especially blessed. The coming of the divine 
Savior, in view of His great acts yet to be performed as 
the completion of His redemptive work, invests the entire 
subject with rich and profound interest. 

3. God the Only Object of Worship. 

"And I John saw these things, and heard them. And 
when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship at the 
feet of the angel which had shewed me these things. 

"Then saith he unto me. See thou do it not: for I am 
thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and 
of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship 
God."— 22:8, 9. 

The apostle was overcome with what he heard and saw. 
So godlike seemed the heavenly messenger that he was 

177 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



desirous of rendering him divine worship. The angel re- 
veals himself as a former inhabitant of earth, and de- 
clares God the only object to receive divine worship. 

4. Given to be Made Known. 

"And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the 
prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand." — 22:10. 

How in contrast is this statement with the many who 
promptly declare that this book is a "sealed book." It is 
not a sealed book of God, for He gave it for a revelation 
of Jesus Christ. The sealing of this book cuts off a part 
of the "revelation of Jesus Christ" and must be of Satan. 
We may safely conclude that Satan does not wish the 
things of this revelation known for it shows his cause and 
himself consigned to eternal ruin and shame, and the 
glorious and eternal triumph of Christ and His cause. 

5. A Fixedness of Moral Relations. 

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which 
is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, 
let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be 
holy still." — 22:11. 

There ofttimes comes the question. May angels fall in 
the future? May the glorified saints ever fall as did the 
angels at one time? May the redeemed and holy family 
of man fall in the new earth as did Adam and Eve in 
Eden? This is an answer given full and complete to this 
inquiry. A fixedness of character in moral being has been 
reached, probation is forever a thing of the past. 

6. Jesus Declares his Purpose. 

"And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with 
me, to give every man according as his work shall be." — 
22:12. 

Special attention is called to three things. His speedy 

178 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



coming, His reward, and the grounds and conditions of 
the distribution of rewards. Salvation is a free gift to all 
who will accept on the divine conditions, of repentance 
and faith, but there will be a reward for every act of the 
saved and lost "according as his work shall be." 

The great fact of His coming, because of its world 
wide and eternal consequences, is kept continuously in the 
foreground. 

7. Declares Himself. 

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, 
the first and the last." — 22:13. 

The divinity and eternity of Christ, and also His hu- 
manity are again proclaimed as in the opening of the book. 
He desires all to understand that these great prophecies 
are concerning Himself, the gracious and Infinite Re- 
deemer. 

CONCLUSION. 

Chapter 22:14-21. 

1. Blessing Promised. 

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they 
may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in 
through the gates into the city." — 22:14. 

As man was expelled from Paradise, and in consequence 
from the tree of life, the redemption in Christ re-admits 
him to all the blessings of purity, life, immortality and 
communion with God. He enters the city by the gate an 
honored and welcome guest to the palace of light and the 
infinite bounties of God. 

2. The Excluded. 

"For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremong- 
ers, and murderers, and idolators, and whosoever loveth and 
maketh a lie." — 22:15. 

Those excluded have excluded themselves. They have 

179 



EXPOSITION OF THE 

entertained, cultivated and brought forth the fruits of evil 
to a bountiful harvest. 

3. Jesus the Sender of This Message. 

"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these 
things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of 
David, and the bright and morning star." — 22:16. 

This is a personal message to you. The seven churches 

represent the entire church age from Pentecost to the 

coming of Christ. He declares His genealogy in the line 

of David, and also the morning star, ushering in the 

eternal day of redeeming love and blessedness in contrast 

to the dark starless night of sin. 

4. The Closing Invitation to Divine Favor. 

"And the Spirit and the bride say. Come. And let him 
that heareth say. Come. And let him that is athirst come. 
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." 
— 22:17. 

What a multiform invitation is here given. Every pos- 
sible motive and sentiment is brought to bear that an im- 
pression may be made. It is infinite love's manifold call 
to the rich life in God. 

5. A Solemn Warning. 

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words 
of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto 
these things, God will add unto him the plagues that are 
written in this book: 

"And if any man shall take away from the words of 
the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part 
out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from 
the things which are written in this book. 

"He which testifieth these things saith, surely I come 
quickly: Amen." — 22:18-20. 

A most solemn witness and due warning given against 

making this prophecy teach what the divine author has not 

given. To diminish aught from this prophecy meets as 

severe a penalty as unwarranted additions. No such pen- 

180 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



alties directly attach to any other book of the Holy Scrip- 
tures. What is thus so fearfully safeguarded must be of 
vast importance. There is here no place of escape for the 
superstitious additions or the indifference of neglect. May 
divine light illuminate our hearts, and the Holy Spirit in- 
terpret his own prophetic message as here given. Em- 
phasis is placed upon this solemn warning in the mighty 
events that shall attend His coming. A most solemn af- 
firmation is given to the truth of this prophecy by the 
Savior Himself. 

6. The Closing Prayer. 

"Even so, come. Lord Jesus. ^' — 22:20. 

The closing prayer is brief, but all comprehensive. 
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus." When Christ came it was 
not a single event but made up of many parts from Beth- 
lehem to the ascension from Mount Olivet, completing 
the great work He came to perform as the world's sac- 
rifice for sin in all its manifold requirements, meeting per- 
fectly all the human and divine conditions. So when he 
comes it will not be a single isolated event, but is com- 
prised of a series of events embracing the resurrection of 
the just, the translation of the saints, the taking possession 
of the redeemed inheritance and the eviction of Satan and 
all evil in the opening of the seven seals in all their mighty 
sub-divisions of trumpets and vials, bringing forth from 
these judgment scenes an innumerable company of saved 
ones, the restoration of ancient Israel in polity, temple and 
transformed worship, the destruction of Babylon, Anti- 
Christ's capital, the annihilation of his military, governmen- 
tal and religious systems, the millennium reign with its 
results, the redeemed race, the great judgment, the new 
heaven and the new earth with all the infinite blessings 
that go with them through all the endless ages of eternity. 

181 



EXPOSITION OF THE 



What a Savior! What a salvation! What endless joys 
and triumphs! With all this in view, being the completion 
of the matchless work of Christ, his faithful disciple fer- 
vently prays, **Even so, come, Lord Jesus." 

7. The Final Benediction. 

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. 
Amen." — 22:21. 

Could words be more gentle, rich and comforting than 
these? What a depth of meaning they possess in the rela- 
tion they sustain to all these heavenly scenes and world 
wide events with all their eternal consequences to every 
individual that has ever lived in time. To bring to the 
heart and life of all, the grace of Christ in His atoning 
sacrifice is the burden and prayer of every true child of 
God in all the ages. 



182 



BOOK OF REVELATION 



PURVIEW. 

This is the one prophetic book of the New Testament. 
Its one essential purpose is "the revelation of Jesus 
Christ." The revealment of Christ in His exaltation, glory 
and completion of His great work of redemption. The 
other Scriptures show Him in His humiliation and sacri- 
fice for sin with exceptional glimpses of His exal- 
tation. In this book the order is directly reversed 
and Christ is shown in all His matchless splendor, 
glory and triumph of His divine nature and redemptive 
work. While the revealment of Christ is the one pre-emi- 
nent purpose of this book, many incidental matters of 
great importance are brought out so that the future is 
spread before us like a great panorama — the whole field 
of prophecy is illuminated. A perfect and complete his- 
tory of the Church is given from Pentecost to the coming 
of Christ in all its possible conditions of light and shadow. 
The visitations of divine judgment upon the living wicked, 
the mighty power and malignant purposes of evil and its 
final ripened fruitage in the Anti-Christ, the successive 
steps in the eviction of evil from the redeemed earth.. The 
Millennium when Christ shall reign a universal sovereign 
in this present fallen world, a thousand years, out of 
which reign shall issue the redeemed, restored and perfect 
family of man, the same as in the first creation and the 
incorrigible wicked and rebellious be swept off the earth 
by the mighty stroke of divine judgment. The general 
judgment, when the righteous shall receive their just re- 
wards for all their works, and the incorrigibly wicked of 
men and the fallen angels shall be cast into perdition forever. 
All evil eternally eliminated from the redeemed earth, all 
nature restored to its paradisiacal conditions. The redeemed 

183 



and restored family of man in all the purity and perfection 
of the original Adamic creation will go forth to fulfil the 
great purpose of the Infinite in the original creation, de- 
layed for a time by the fall, but made possible by redemp- 
tion, and to be consummated in fulness, for sin's tragedy 
shall not defeat ultimately the purpose of the Almighty. 
The resurrected righteous and the translated saints, the 
bride of Christ, governing with Christ in the new capital 
city, the New Jerusalem, shall be co-rulers with Him over 
the peoples of the redeemed and restored family of man in 
the paradisiacal earth, being "kings and priests unto God 
and the Father," Many other matters equally important 
are incidentally brought out in this most wonderful book 
of prophecy, but Christ is all in all. What a gracious Sa- 
vior! What a perfect salvation! Our fervent prayer is 
"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is 
in heaven," and with equal fervor we join in the ascriptions 
of praise, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and 
the glory forever. Amen." 



184 



GENERAL OUTLINE OF 
THE BOOK OF REVELATION. 



Arranged to Serve as an Index to the Contents 
of this Exposition, 



I 



SECTION I. 



Christ Revealed in Humiliation and Glory. 

Chapter 

The Seven Divisions of the Superscription. 

Chapter 1:1-4. 

Page 



1. The key to the Book of Revelation, i.i. 7 

2. This divinely given message is prophetic. 1:1. 8 

3. An angel messenger is sent. 1:1. — 9 

4. John the direct receiver of this heavenly communi- 

cation. 1:1, 2. 9 

5. Special blessing promised to those who receive 

this prophecy. 1:3. 9 

6. The time element of this prophecy. 1:3 10 

7. To whom this prophecy is sent. 1:4. 10 

Seven Divisions of the Invocation. 

Chapter 1:4-6. 

1. The salutation. 1:4. ' 11 

2. The Father. 1:4. 11 

3. The Holy Ghost. 1:4. 11 

4. The Christ. 1:5. 12 

5. The fruit of love. 1:5. . 13 

6. The royal and priestly offices to be conferred 

upon the saved. 1:6. 14 

7. The Doxology. 1:6. 14 

187 



Seven Divisions of the Introduction of the Prophecy. 



Chapter 1:7-11. 

Page 

1. The coming of Christ. 1:7. 15 

2. The divinity of Christ most emphatically declared. 

1:8. 16 

3. The Isle of Patmos, the place where the apos- 

tle receives this revealment of Christ. 1:9. 16 

4. John was in a spiritual state of mind as a nec- 

essary condition to receive the Divine mes- 
sage. 1:10. 17 

5. The Apostle heard a great voice. 1:10. 18 

6. The Apostle is commanded to write the things 

which he was about to see, in a book. i:ii. 19 

7. The book is specifically sent to all Christendom. 

i:ii. 19 



188 



SECTION 11. 



Christ Revealed in the Character and History of the 
Seven Churches of Asia. 

Chapters II:i2 to 111:22. 

The Seven Things of Christ's Personality. 

Chapter 1:12-16. 

Page 



1. The significant location of Christ. 1:12, 13. 20 

2. His clothing. 1:13. 20 

3. The glorified body of Christ. 1:14, 15. 21 

4. His voice. 1:15. 21 

5. His hand. 1:16. 22 

6. The word-sword. 1:16. . 22 

7. His countenance. 1:16. 23 



Seven Things Which Transpired in Renewing Bodily Ac- 
quaintance under Changed Conditions Between the 



Master and His Disciples. 

Chapter 1:17-20. 

1. The Apostle overcome. 1:17. 23 

2. Christ's hand was laid on him. 1:17. 23 

3. Christ declares Himself. 1:16, 17. 24 

4. Christ proclaims His victory. 1:18. 24 

5. The Apostle receives a special commission, be- 

comes a prophet, he had been an Apostle, he 
is now both an Apostle and a prophet. 
1:19. 25 

6. A mystery. 1:20. 25 

7. A Divine exposition given. 1:20. 25 

189 



The Seven Churches and the Seven Epistles to the Seven 

Churches. 



Chapters 2 and 3. 

Page 

1. The Church of Ephesus. 2:1-7. 26 

2. The Church of Smyrna. 2:8-11. 27 

3. The Church of Pergamos. 2:12-17. 28 

4. The Church of Thyatira. 2:8-29. 29 

5. The Church of Sardis. 3:1-6. 30 

6. The Church of Philadelphia. 3:7-13. 31 

7. The Church of Laodicea. 3:14-22. 32 

The Seven Divisions of the Seven Epistles to the Seven 

Churches. 

Chapters 2 and 3. 

1. The address. 34 

2. Some characteristics of Christ, especially appro- 

priate to them in their conditions. 35 

3. The perfect knowledge of Christ concerning all 

their righteousness and service. 35 

4. A perfect diagnosis of their spiritual conditions. 35 

5. The statement of His coming and the result to 

them. 36 

6. A special promise to the victor. 36 

7. A universal command to hear the divine communi- 

cation of the Holy Spirit. 36 



190 



SECTION III. 



Christ Revealed in the Resurrection of the Righteous Dead 
and the Translation of the Living Saints. 

Chapters IV. and V. 

The Apostle Transferred from Earth to Heaven. 

Chapter 4:1-4. 

Page 

1. An open door into heaven. 4:1. 38 

2. The voice of Christ which called John to see the 

first vision now calls him up to heaven to 
behold the second. 4:1. 39 

3. The spiritual and prophetic insight which prepares 

John to receive the first vision and divine 
prophecy prepares him for the second. 4:2. 39 

4. The throne of God. 4:2. 40 

5. The occupant of the throne. 4:3. 40 

6. The rainbow. 4:3. 40 

7. The twenty-four sub-thrones of heaven. 4:4. 42 

The Activities of Heaven. 

Chapter 4:4-11. 

1. The twenty-four elders. 4:4. 42 

2. The apparel of the twenty-four elders. 4:4. 42 

3. The lightning and thunders and voices from the 

throne of God. 4:5. 43 

4. The seven lamps of fire before the throne of God. 

4:5. 43 

5. The sea of glass. 4:6. 44 

6. The four beasts. 4:6-8. 44 

7. The heavenly worship. 4:8-11. 45 

191 



The Great Redemption. 

Chapter 5:1-14. 

Page 



1. The book. 5:1. 46 

2. The great proclamation. 5:2-4. 49 

3. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the prevailing 

Prince. 5:5. 50 

4. Christ the slain Lamb in the midst of the throne 

takes the book of redemption. 5:6, 7. 52 

5. A new song sung in heaven. 5:8-10. 53 

6. All creation joins in pronouncing a blessing upon 

Christ. 5:11-13. — - 55 

7. The affirmation of the cherubim and eldership. 

5:14. — 56 



192 



SECTION IV. 



Christ Revealed in His Judgment upon the Living. 

Chapters VI; to XX 13. 

The Seven Seals. 

Chapters 6: to 8:6. 

Page 



1. The first seal. 6:1, 2. 60 

2. The second seal. 6:3, 4. 61 

3. The third seal. 6:5, 6. 62 

4. The fourth seal. 6:7, 8. 62 

5. The fifth seal. 6:9-11. 63 

6. The sixth seal. 6:12 to 7:17. 67 

7. The seventh seal. 8:1-6. 72 

The Seven Trumpets. 

Chapters 8:7 to 14:5. 

\. The first trumpet. 8:7. 75 

2. The second trumpet. 8:8, 9. 75 

3. The third trumpet. 8:10, 11. 76 

4. The fourth trumpet. 8:12, 13. 76 

5. The fifth trumpet. 9:1-12. — _ 77 

6. The sixth trumpet. 9:13 to 11:14. 81 

7. The seventh trumpet. 11:15. loi 

I. The first part of the seventh trumpet — the voice 

of the eldership and the result of the opening 
of heaven's temple and judgments on earth. 

11:16-19. — — 102 

193 



The Seventh Trumpet is Divided into Seven Parts. 



Chapters ii:i6 to 14:5. 

Page 



2. The second part of the seventh trumpet — the sun 

clad woman. 12:1-6. 104 

3. The third part of the seventh trumpet — The war 

in heaven. 12:7-10. 108 

4. The fourth part of the seventh trumpet — the in- 

strumentality of triumph. 12:11, 12. 109 

5. The fifth part of the seventh trumpet — Satanic 

persecution of the cause of Christ. 12:13-17. 109 

6. The sixth part of the seventh trumpet — the Anti- 

Christ. 13:1-18. - III 

7. The seventh part of the seventh trumpet — the 

Lamb on Mount Sion. 14:1-5. 121 

{ I The Seven Angels. 

Chapter 14:6-20. 

1. The first angel. 14:6, 7. _ 123 

2. The second angel. 14:8. 124 

3. The third angel. 14:9-13. 124 

4. The fourth angel. 14:14. 125 

5. The fifth angel. 14:15, 16. 126 

6. The sixth angel. 14:17. 127 

7. The seventh angel. 14:18-20. 127 

The Seven Heavenly Manifestations. 

Chapters 15 to 16:1. 

1. The seven angels with the seven last plagues. 

15:1. 128 

2. The victors. 15:2-4. 129 

3. The seven sacerdotal and Tegal angels. 15:5, 6. — 130 

194 



Page 

4. The cherubim. 15:7. 130 

5. The cloud of glory. 15:8, 131 

6. Man excluded from the temple. 15:8. 131 

7. The great voice out of the temple. 16:1. 132 

The Seven Vials of Wrath. 

Chapter 16:2-17. 

1. The first vial. 16:2. 132 

2. The second vial. 16:3. 133 

3. The third vial. 16:4-7. I33 

4. The fourth vial. 16:8-9. 135 

5. The fifth vial. 16:10, 11. 135 

6. The sixth vial. 16:12-16. 136 

7. The seventh vial. 16:17. 137 

The Seventh Vial is Divided into Seven Parts. 

Chapters 16:18 to 18:24. 

1. The first part of the seventh vial — a great voice 

in heaven and a terrible judgment on earth. 
16:18-21. 138 

2. The second part of the seventh vial — a vision of 

the great mystery of Babylon. 17:1-6. 139 

3. The third part of the seventh vial — the mystery 

of the sustaining power of Babylon. 17:7-14. 142 

4. The fourth part of the seventh vial — the vast do- 

minion of Babylon in its subjects, and the 
mighty power of God in making even the evil 
help destroy itself. 17:15-18. 143 

5. The fifth part of the seventh vial — a mighty angel 

pronounces sentence on Babylon, recounting 

her crimes. 18:1-3. 146 

195 



Page 

6. The sixth part of the seventh vial — a voice from 
heaven calls out the remaining people of God 
from the great metropolis of the Anti-Christ 
pronouncing the doom of Babylon, and the 
sorrow of her patrons, closing with an ex- 
pression of triumph to the cause of God. 



18:4-20. - 147 

7. The seventh part of the seventh vial — a mighty 
angel illustrates how Babylon the greatest 
material expression of the power of the Anti- 
Christ shall be totally destroyed by diviiie 
power. 18:21-24. : 149 

The Triumph, 

Chapter 19:1 to 20:3. 

1. The rejoicing. 19:1-6. 150 

2. The marriage. 19:7-9. 151 

3. John falls prostrate before the angel. 19:10. 152 

4. The living Word. 19:11-16. 152 

5. The great invitation. 19:17, 18. 154 

6. The great confederacy. 19:19. 154 

7. The victory. 19:20 to 20:3. 155 



196 



SECTION V. 



Christ Revealed in the Millennium. 

Chapter XX: 4-6. 

Page 



1. The throne. 20:4. 157 

2. The thrones occupied. — 20:4. . 158 

3. They ruled with delegated power. 20:4. 159 

4. The souls of the beheaded. 20:4. 159 

5. The reign of the martyrs. 20:4. 159 

6. The two resurrections. 20:5-6. 159 

7. The sacerdotal kings. 20:6. 160 



1 



197 



SECTION VI. 



Christ Revealed in the General Judgment. 

Chapter XX:7-i5. 

Page 



1. Satan loosed. 20:7. 161 

2. The nations deceived. 20:8, 9. 161 

3. The defeat of Satan. 20:9, 10. 162 

4. The great white throne. 20:11. 162 

5. The distribution of rewards. 20:12. 163 

6. The resurrected wicked. 20:13. 164 

7. The final punishment of the wicked. 20:14-15. 164 



198 



SECTION VII. 



Christ Revealed in the Restoration of the Redeemed Earth 
to its Paradisiacal Condition, the Redeemed Fam- 
ily of Man to their Edenic Perfection and In- 
heritance, and the Reign of Christ and 
the Saints in Splendor and 
Glory Forever. 

Chapters XXI: to XXII :2i. 

The Restoration. 

Chapter 21:1-8. 

Page 



1. The new heaven and earth. 21:1. 166 

2. The holy city. 21:2. 167 

3. The new tabernacle. 21:3, 4. 168 

4. The new creation. 21:5, 6. 168 

5. Christ reveals Himself. 21:6. 169 

6. A promise given to the ages. 21:7. 169 

7. A great warning given to the ages. 21:8. 169 

The New Jerusalem. 

Chapters 21:9 to 22:5. 

1. A vision given. 21:9, 10. 170 

2. The bridal city described. 21:11-21. 171 

3. The temple. 21:22. 174 

4. Not dependent on nature. 21:23. 174 

5. Its relation to the saved. 21:24-26. 174 

6. Character — the determining factor in citizenship. 

21:27. 176 

7. An added vision. 22:1-5. 176 

199 



Summary. 



Chapter 22:6-13. 

Page 



1. The future revealed. 2:6. 177 

2. His coming. 22:7. 177 

3. God the only object of worship. 22:8, 9. — 177 

4. Given to be made known. 22:10. 178 

5. A fixedness of moral relations. 22:11. 178 

6. Jesus declares His purpose. 22:12. 178 

7. Jesus declares Himself. 22:13. ^- 179 

Conclusion. 

Chapter 22:14-21. 

♦ 

1. A blessing promised. 22:14. 179 

2. The excluded. 22:15. 179 

3. Jesus the sender of this message. 22:16. 180 

4. The closing invitation to divine favor. 22:17. 180 

5. A solemn warning. 22:18-20. 180 

6. The closing prayer. 22:20. 181 

7. The final benediction. 22:21. 182 



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